When we recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings or chant the sutras, we
practice taking refuge in the three jewels. We practice Touching the
Earth to also show our gratitude to the Buddha, the Dharma and the
Sangha. Taking refuge is the recognition and the determination to head
towards what is most beautiful, truthful, and good. Taking refuge is
also the awareness that one has the capacity to understand and love.
The Buddha is the one who shows us the way in this life. The Buddha is
the historical person who lived 2600 years ago and all of our ancestral
teachers who connect us to the Buddha. The Buddha is also the awakened
nature in all beings. Each element in the universe that is showing us
the way of love and understanding, is the Buddha. The open look of a
child and the ray of sunshine causing the flower to unfold her beauty
also contain the awakened nature.
The Dharma is the teachings of love and understanding. The Dharma is
the teachings of the historical Buddha and his descendants in the form
of discourses, the commentaries and precepts that show us the path
leading to peace and deep insight, love and understanding. The Dharma
is all the elements in our world and in our consciousness that guide us
on the path of liberation. The living Dharma is contained in every
corner of the universe. The floating cloud is silently preaching about
freedom and the falling leaf is giving us a dharma talk on the practice
of letting go. Everytime you breathe mindfully, walk mindfully or look
at another person with the eye of understanding and compassion, you are
giving a silent dharma talk.
The Sangha is the
community that lives in harmony and awareness. Your teachers, your
friends and yourself are all elements of your Sangha. A path in the
forest might be a member of your Sangha as well, supporting you on the
path of transformation. You can share your joys and your difficulties
with your Sangha. You can let go and relax into the warmth and strength
of your Sangha. The Sangha is a river, flowing and bending with
flexibility, responding to the environment in which it is situated.
Taking refuge in the Sangha, we join in the stream of life, flowing and
becoming one with all of our sisters and brothers in the practice. In
the setting of a Sangha, you find the practice easier and much more
enjoyable.
