Refuge & Precept-Taking 三皈五戒

Refuge Taking

Buddhists take refuge in the Triple Gem, that is, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

The Buddha: refers to the historical Buddha who attained Perfect Enlightenment, Awakening or Nirvana. He attained the state of perfection through his own efforts, demonstrating that it is a humanly possible feat.

The Dharma: refers to the Teachings of the Buddha. Through the Teachings, Lord Buddha showed us the way in which we too can perfect ourselves and attain Enlightenment.

The Sangha: refers to the monastic community of ordained Buddhist monks and nuns.

Taking refuge in the Buddha, we aspire to attain the perfection he attained. Taking refuge in the Dharma, we apply the Teachings of the Buddha in our lives to change our negative mental habits that bring about much stress and suffering. Taking refuge in the Sangha, we take them as our inspiration and guide, while supporting them in whatever ways we can.

Precept Taking

Precepts are basic guidelines of moral conduct to help a Buddhist cultivates positive conduct. Precepts are taken voluntarily and observing them helps one to develop mindfulness, which restrains us from committing unwholesome acts.

The Five Precepts are:

1. Refrain from killing.
2. Refrain from stealing.
3. Refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. Refrain from false speech.
5. Refrain from taking intoxicants.

Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts Ceremony
The monastery Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts Ceremony is held three times a year, in conjunction with the remembrance of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin Pu Sa)’s birthday, renunciation and enlightenment.

Preparatory Class: The Significance of Taking Refuge and Precepts

Topics covered during the preparatory class:

• Why should one take Threefold Refuge in the Triple Gem and Five Precepts?
• What are the benefits of taking Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts?
• What are the merits of taking Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts?
• What are the important things to note when taking Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts?
• How does one abide by the Precepts?
• How does one integrate the Precepts into the daily life?