What “Taking Refuge” Means

Taking refuge is the gateway to the Buddhist path. It’s the conscious decision to entrust oneself to the Three Jewels — the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha — as reliable sources of guidance and protection from suffering and confusion (samsara). In the Gelug understanding, refuge is not about worship or submission. It’s an act of wisdom and confidence — recognizing that the Three Jewels embody the path to ultimate freedom and that one’s own awakening depends on following their example.

The Three Jewels in the Gelug View

• The Buddha (the Teacher):
  The Buddha is both the historical Shakyamuni and the fully awakened state we aspire to realize. Refuge in the Buddha means trusting the capacity for enlightenment within ourselves and others, inspired by the example of those who have actualized it.

• The Dharma (the Path):
  The Dharma is the true refuge because it’s the actual method that removes suffering — the inner transformation of wisdom and compassion. From the Gelug lens, the Dharma primarily refers to the realization of emptiness (shunyata) and the cessation of afflictions through the union of calm abiding (shamatha) and special insight (vipashyana).

• The Sangha (the Spiritual Community):
  The Sangha includes both the Arya Sangha (those who’ve directly realized emptiness) and, on a relative level, the community of practitioners who help us progress on the path. In Gelug practice, reliance on qualified teachers and monastic or lay peers is seen as part of this refuge.

The Inner Meaning

Je Tsongkhapa emphasizes that refuge has both outer and inner dimensions:

• Outer refuge is placing confidence in external sources of guidance — teachers, texts, and the community.

• Inner refuge is cultivating the qualities of the Three Jewels within oneself: the clarity of mind (Buddha), insight into reality (Dharma), and moral discipline and compassion (Sangha).

Ultimately, true refuge means transforming your own mind until you become the refuge for others.

The Motivation for Taking Refuge

In the Lamrim, refuge is motivated by renunciation and faith:

• Renunciation: understanding the unsatisfactory nature of samsara and sincerely wanting liberation.

• Faith (Skt. śraddhā): a lucid trust based on reason and experience — seeing that the Three Jewels can lead one to freedom.

Without these two, refuge risks being merely ritual; with them, it becomes transformative.

Refuge as a Practice

Refuge is renewed daily through recitation, meditation, and ethical conduct. Common Gelug refuge prayer:

I take refuge until I am enlightened
In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.
Through the merit of practicing generosity and the other perfections,
May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

This links refuge with bodhicitta, showing that in the Mahayana and Gelug perspective, refuge is not just personal protection — it’s a commitment to awaken for the sake of all beings.

Refuge and the Teacher (Guru Yoga)

In Gelug practice, refuge is deepened through guru devotion. The guru embodies the Three Jewels in living form — guiding the student to see the Buddha-nature within. Tsongkhapa taught that pure reliance on the guru unites devotion and wisdom, making refuge a living, dynamic relationship rather than an abstract belief.

Transformation Through Refuge

Taking refuge transforms one’s identity. You move from being an unsteady wanderer in samsara to a practitioner on the path of awakening. Each act of mindfulness, compassion, and ethical discipline becomes an expression of that refuge.

If you are interested in Taking Refuge while the monks are here between January 2-17, 2026, please email wendy@thekarunacenter.org for more information. We will then create an opportunity for you to participate.