The Three Jewels
Created by ChatGPT-5, 2026-09-01
My dear friends,
The contemplation of death has awakened us to the urgency of practice. Having seen the fire, we turn toward trustworthy guidance, a path that can be practiced, and companions who help us walk it.
In all the schools of Buddhism, this turning is called seeking refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha, who awakened and showed that awakening is possible; the Dharma, his teaching of the truth and the way of practice; and the Sangha, the community of followers who preserve the teaching and help us follow it.
I go to the Dharma for refuge.
I go to the Sangha for refuge.
- Saraṇagamana — Going for Refuge
This earliest written version of the refuge vow is found in the Pali Canon, which was probably written down in the first century BCE, some 400 years after the death of the Buddha.
From a Christian point of view, we might regard the Three Jewels as referring to Jesus, his teachings, and the Church, respectively.
If we say, "I go to the Buddha [and/or Jesus] for refuge," we must bear in mind the observation of the Apostle Paul:
we know him no longer in that way.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16
Both Buddha and Jesus have given us advice on how to find refuge in their absence:
that will be your Teacher after my passing."
- Maha Parinibbana Sutta, VI
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you."
- John 14:25-26
Taking refuge in the Buddha is an ongoing relationship with his teaching and the path it opens, rather than dependence on the physical presence of the historical teacher. Refuge asks us to learn the teaching, live its discipline, and test its fruits in our conduct.
Paul’s words invite a parallel reflection. To know Christ beyond a merely human point of view is to let his life and teaching shape how we see and treat others. In John’s account, Jesus promises that the Counselor will continue to teach and remind his followers of what he has said. For our shared Christian and Buddhist vocabulary, the Holy Spirit or "mind of Christ" can be understood as the Awakening Mind (bodhicitta) at work, awakening compassion and wisdom, and moving us to practice what we have received.
“Refuge” does not mean expecting the Buddha or Jesus to remove suffering for us. It means turning toward wisdom, ethical conduct, and compassion when fear, craving, or anger arise. Reciting a refuge verse can express that commitment; living it means learning from the Buddha and Jesus, practicing their teachings, and accepting the help of spiritual friends as we develop those qualities ourselves.
Having chosen our direction, we need wisdom about how to proceed. The next step is the Middle Path, where renunciation is without self-condemnation, desire for liberation is without grasping and clinging, and wholehearted effort is guided by mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom.