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Question
It is said to become a Buddhist a person “takes refuge” in the Three Jewel by reciting the Pali formula. In laymen terms what exactly do you have to do?
Hi Retina,
Thank you for asking me.
"Ti-ratana" in Pali means The "Three Jewel". They represent the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. The Buddha is our revered teacher. The Dhamma is his teachings about the natural phenomena of existence. The Sangha is his holy community of monks.
In English it is recited three times as:
I take refuge in the Buddha, the Enlightened One.
I take refuge in the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Sangha, the Order of the Buddha.
For the secong time.....(repeat)
For the third time......(repeat)
By affirming the above Refuge, one reminds oneself of the Omniscience of the Buddha, and to diligently practise the teachings of the Buddha with the guidance of the holy monks, and by the power of this practice, may one be protected.
The most important affirmation is that one has to put the teachings of the Buddha into practice. It is the "teachings" that are important. Having this resolute affirmation, one does not seek any other refuge.
Smile from justinchoo :-)
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Answers by Expert:
Justin Choo
Expertise
When in doubt seek it out. All your questions will be answered, and you may not have to agree with the answers. Such is the beauty of Buddhism. You are free to decide. I follow the Theravada tradition, and have been studying Buddhism for more than 40 years. Please view my profile for more details. I have answered more than 1500 questions since joining this category. You may like to give me the honor to answer your question.
Experience
I was brought up in the 50's as a Buddhist. For the past 40 years I have read numerous books on Buddhism and listened to numerous talks on Buddhism by well-respected and learned monks and lay teachers. I conduct Buddhist classes for parents of Sunday School children in a Theravada Buddhist Temple.
My teacher was the late Chief Reverend, The Ven. K Sri Dhammananda of The Brickfields Buddhist Mahavihara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can view the relevent website in memory of my revered late teacher @
http://www.ksridhammananda.com
Organizations
I am a life member of the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia.
Publications
YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT MY BLOG @
http://lifeislikethat999.blogspot.com/
Published a book called "The Rainbow And The Treasure". It is a compilation of extracts from various sources to introduce Buddhism to beginners. (Currently out of print)
Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Commerce And Administration, Victoria University Of Wellington, NZ.(1974)
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