Three Jewels

Symbol of the triratna, as seen in the Sanchi stupa,

1st century BCE.
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin snbo
Cantonese (Yue)
- Jyutping sambo
Burmese name
Burmese
IPA [jadan b]
Tibetan name
Tibetan
Transcriptions
- Wylie dkon mchog gsum
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese Tam bo
Thai name
Thai ,
Three Jewels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures,
Three Refuges, Precious Triad, or most commonly the
Triple Gem ( (triratna)) (Pali: tiratana), are the three
things that Buddhists take refuge in, and look toward for
guidance, in the process known as taking refuge.
The Three Jewels are:
Buddha
Sanskrit, Pali: The Enlightened or Awakened One;
Chn: , Ftu, Jpn: , Butsu, Tib: sangs-rgyas,
Mong: burqan
Depending on one's interpretation, it can
mean the historical Buddha (Siddharta) or the
Buddha nature the ideal or highest spiritual
potential that exists within all beings;
Dharma
Sanskrit: The Teaching; Pali: Dhamma, Chn: ,
F, Jpn: H, Tib: chos, Mong: nom
The teachings of the Buddha, the path to
Enlightenment.
Sangha
Sanskrit, Pali: The Community; Chn: , Sng, Jpn:
S, Tib: dge-'dun, Mong: quvara
The community of those who have attained
enlightenment, who may help a practicing
Buddhist to do the same. Also used more
broadly to refer to the community of
practicing Buddhists, or the community of
Buddhist monks and nuns.
[1]
Contents
1 Refuge formula
2 Importance
3 Explication
RTGS trairat, rattanatrai
Korean name
Hangul
Transcriptions
- Revised
Romanization
sambo
Mongolian name
Mongolian urban erdeni
Japanese name
Kanji
Transcriptions
- Romanization samb, samp
Pali name
Pali tiratana,
tisarana
Marathi name
Marathi (trisharan)
Khmer name
Khmer (Preah
Ratanak-trey)
Sinhalese name
Sinhalese (theruwan) or
(thurunawan)
Sanskrit name
Sanskrit (triratna),
(ratna-traya)
3 Explication
4 Tibetan Buddhism
5 History
5.1 Diamond Mind
5.2 Ratana-sutta
5.3 Jainism and Taoism
6 Art
6.1 Coins
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Refuge formula
Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is central to Buddhist
lay and monastic ordination ceremonies, as originated by
Gautama, (The Buddha), according to the scriptures. The
practice of taking refuge on behalf of young or even
unborn children is mentioned
[2]
in the Majjhima Nikaya,
recognized by most scholars as an early text.
Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is generally considered
to make one officially a Buddhist. Thus, in many
Theravada Buddhist communities, the following Pali
chant, the Vandana Ti-sarana is often recited by both
monks and lay people:
Buddham saranam gacchmi
I go for refuge in the Buddha.
Dhammam saranam gacchmi
I go for refuge in the Dharma.
Sangham saranam gacchmi
I go for refuge in the Sangha
The Burmese Pali version, which differs from traditional Pali pronunciation (to suit the Burmese language
phonology), is as follows (in the Burmese script and IPA):
1

IPA: [bod n sm]
I go for refuge in the Buddha.
1

IPA: [dm n sm]
I go for refuge in the Dharma.
1

IPA: [ n sm]
I go for refuge in the Sangha
1
([dtjp]) and ([tatjp]) are prefixed to the chant when lay members seek the refuge
for the second and third times respectively.
The Cambodian version, or m (EN: Bot Sa-Rak-Phorgn), was written by Samdech Sangha Raja
Jhotaano Chuon Nath with greater descriptions of the Three Jewels with Cambodian touch at the ending.
[3]
.m: iimm m im mimim
I go for refuge in the Buddha, the Greatest in the world, the Guru of human beings and
Devada, who was Enlightened and a Teacher to men.
im mmmm imzm mmm
Guiding the right central path, the way that can eliminate all the sufferings.
.mm:im mr imi:mm mmmm
His teaching nowadays, men with destiny from the past trying to learn and listen, and
practice for happiness.
mmi mmm mimi:iv mim:
No such happiness that is genuine as the one that is free from sufferings, from this world
now on, the happiness prevails because of the Dharma.
.iv:: :v mim mmimm
I go for refuge in the Dharma and the Sangha, all combined as the Triple Jewels, the cold
shade of the world.
::m: m:mm ir mziiv
May the Triple Jewels guide Cambodia (and its people) to happiness forever.
The Mahayana Chinese/Korean/Japanese version differs only slightly from the Theravada:
I take refuge in the Buddha, wishing for all sentient beings to understand the great Way
profoundly and make the greatest resolve.
I take refuge in the Dharma, wishing for all sentient beings to delve deeply into the Sutra
Pitaka, causing their wisdom to be as broad as the sea.
I take refuge in the Sangha, wishing all sentient beings to lead the congregation in
harmony, entirely without obstruction.
The prayer for taking refuge in Tibetan Buddhism.
_
Sang-gye cho-dang tsog-kyi cho-nam-la
I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
__g
Jang-chub bar-du dag-ni kyab-su-chi
Until I attain enlightenment.
gT
Dag-gi jin-sog gyi-pe so-nam-kyi
By the merit I have accumulated from practising generosity and the other perfections
Q__Q
Dro-la pan-chir sang-gye drub-par-shog
May I attain enlightenment, for the benefit of all migrators.
Amaravati Triratna symbols.
Importance
The Triple Gem is in the center of one of the major practices of mental "reflection" in Buddhism; the reflection
on the true qualities of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. These qualities are called the Mirror of the
Dharma in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta and help the practitioner attain the true "mind like a mirror".
In the commentary on the Apannaka Jataka Buddha declares:
Disciples, nowhere between the lowest of hells below and the highest heaven above, nowhere in
all the infinite worlds that stretch right and left, is there the equal, much less the superior, of a
Buddha. Incalculable is the excellence which springs from obeying the Precepts and from other
virtuous conduct.
By taking refuge in the Triple Gem, one escapes from rebirth in states of suffering. In forsaking
such a refuge as this, you have certainly erred. In the past, too, men who foolishly mistook what
was no refuge for a real refuge, met disaster.
Explication
The qualities of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are frequently
repeated in the ancient texts and are called "Mirror of the Dhamma" or
"Dhamma Adassa".
The Buddha
"The Blessed One is an Arahant, perfectly enlightened,
accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate,
knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be
tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the
Blessed One."
[4]
In some traditions the Buddha as refuge is taken to refer to the
historical Buddha and also 'the full development of mind', in other
words, the full development of one's highest potential, i.e. recognition
of mind and the completion or full development of one's inherent qualities and activities.
The Dharma
"The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate (eternal or not subject
to time), inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise."
[4]
Refuge in the Dharma, in the Vajrayana, tradition includes reference not only to the words of the Buddha, but
to the living experience of realization and teachings of fully realized practitioners. In Tibetan Buddhism, it
includes both the Kangyur (the teaching of the Buddha) and the Tengyur (the commentaries by realized
practitioners) and in an intangible way also includes the living transmission of those masters, which can also
be very inspiring.
The Sangha
"The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practising the good way, practising the straight way,
practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of
individuals - This Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy
of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
[4]
In the Vajrayana, a more liberal definition of Sangha can include all practitioners who are actively using the
Buddha's teachings to benefit themselves and/or others.
[citation needed]
It can be more strictly defined as the
'Realized Sangha' or 'Arya-Sangha', in other words, practitioners and historical students of the Buddha who
have fully realized the nature of their mind, also known as realized Boddhisatvas; and 'Ordinary Sangha',
which can loosely mean practitioners and students of the Buddha who are using the same methods and
working towards the same goal.
Tibetan Buddhism
Main article: Three Roots
In Tibetan Buddhism there are three refuge formulations, the Outer,
Inner and Secret forms of the Three Jewels. The 'Outer' form is the
'Triple Gem', (Sanskrit:triratna), the 'Inner' is the Three Roots and the
'Secret' form is the 'Three Bodies' or trikaya of a Buddha. These
alternative refuge formulations are employed by those undertaking
Deity Yoga and other tantric practices within the Tibetan Buddhist
Vajrayana tradition as a means of recognizing Buddha Nature.
Tibetan Buddhist Refuge Formulations
Outer or 'Three
Jewels'
Buddha Dharma Sangha
Inner or 'Three
Roots'
Lama
(Guru)
Yidam (Ista-
devata)
Khandroma
(Dakini)
[5]
Secret or 'Trikaya'
Dharmakaya Sambhogakaya Nirmanakaya
Three Vajras Mind Speech Body
The Triratna or "Three Jewels"
symbol, on a Buddha footprint
(bottom symbol, the top symbol
being a dharmachakra). 1st century
CE, Gandhara.
seed syllable blue hum red ah white om
History
The three gems are called this because of their treasured value to
Buddhists, as well as their indestructible and unchanging nature.
The Three Gems when used in the process of taking refuge, become
the Three Refuges. In this form, the metaphors occur very frequently
in the ancient Buddhist Texts, and here the Sangha is used more
broadly to refer to either the Sangha of Bhikkhus, or the Sangha of
Bhikkhunis.
I go to Master Gautama for refuge and to the Dhamma, and to
the Sangha of Bhikkhus.

[6]
Diamond Mind
Buddha's mind in his earth body or nirmanakaya is frequently
associated with the greatest gem of all, the diamond, the hardest
natural substance. In the Anguttara Nikaya(3:25), Buddha talks about
the diamond mind which can cut through all delusion.
Ratana-sutta
The expression Three Gems are found in the earliest Buddhist
literature of the Pali Canon, besides other works there is one sutta in
the Sutta-nipata, called the Ratana-sutta
[7]
which contains a series of
verses on the Jewels in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
In the Ratana-sutta, all the qualities of the Sangha mentioned are
attributes of the Buddha's enlightened disciples:
One who is irascible and very irritable, displaying anger, hatred and sulkiness; such a one is said to be a
person with a mind like an open sore.
One who understands the Four Noble Truths correctly is said to have a mind like a flash of lightning.
One who has destroyed the mind-intoxicating defilements and realized the liberation of mind and the
liberation by knowledge is said to have a mind like a diamond
Jainism and Taoism
Main article: Ratnatraya
The compound Buddhist symbols:
Shrivatsa within a triratana, over a
Dharmacakra wheel, on the Torana
gate at Sanchi. 1st century BCE.
Jainism and Taoism also use "three jewels" metaphorically. When Buddhism was introduced into China,
ratnatraya was translated as sanbao (Chinese: ; pinyin: snbo; WadeGiles: san-pao; literally "three
jewels/treasures"), a term that first occurred in the Tao Te Ching.
In his analysis of the Tao Te Ching, Victor H. Mair notes
[8]
that the jewel metaphor was already widely used
in Indian religious metaphor before the Tao Te Ching was written. In Jainism too,
For the Jains, the Three Jewels are a metaphor for describing conduct and knowledge:
samyag-darana (correct perception or insight)
samyag-jna (correct knowledge)
samyag-critra (correct conduct).
Art
The Three Jewels are also symbolized by the triratna, composed of
(from bottom to top):
A lotus flower within a circle.
A diamond rod, or vajra.
An ananda-chakra.
A trident, or trisula, with three branches, representing the
threefold jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, the Dharma and
the Sangha.
On representations of the footprint of the Buddha, the Triratna is
usually also surmounted by the Dharma wheel.
The Triratna can be found on frieze sculptures at Sanchi as the symbol
crowning a flag standard (2nd century BCE), as a symbol of the
Buddha installed on the Buddha's throne (2nd century BCE), as the
crowning decorative symbol on the later gates at the stupa in Sanchi
(2nd century CE), or, very often on the Buddha footprint (starting
from the 1st century CE).
The triratna can be further reinforced by being surmounted with three
dharma wheels (one for each of the three jewels of Buddhism: the
Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha).
The triratna symbol is also called nandipada, or "bull's hoof", by Hindus.
Coins
There are a number of examples of the triratna symbol appearing on historical coins of Buddhist kingdoms in
the Indian sub-continent. For example, the Triratna appears on the 1st century BCE coins of the Kingdom of
Kuninda in the northern Punjab. It also surmounts the depictions of stupas, on some the coins of the Indo-
Parthian king Abdagases of the 1st century, CE and on the coins of some of the Kushan kings such as Vima
Kadphises, also of the 1st century CE.
Triratna symbol on the
reverse (left field) of a
coin of the Indo-
Scythian king Azes II
(r.c. 35-12 BCE).

2nd century BCE coin
of the Kunindas,
incorporating on the
reverse the Buddhist
triratna symbol on top
of a stupa.
See also
Basic Points Unifying the Theravda and the Mahyna
Borromean rings
Jukai
Refuge (Buddhism)
Three Treasures (Taoism)
Triple gems of Jainism
Notes
1. ^ Hanh, Thich Nhat (1991). Old Path White Clouds: walking in the footsteps of the Buddha. Parallax Press.
pp. 157161. ISBN 0-938077-26-0.
2. ^ Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, tr Nanamoli, rev Bodhi, Wisdom Pubns, 1995, pages 708f
3. ^ Note: English translation of this chanting song is not 100% accurate
4. ^
a

b

c
Bhikkhu Bodhi (2000). The Collected Discourses of the Buddha: A new translation of the Samyutta Nikaya.
Somerville: Wisdom Publications. pp. Sakkasamyutta, Dhajjaggasutta (3), p.319321.
5. ^ In Sarma traditions, this root is the Chokyong (Skt: dharmapla, Wylie: chos-kyong)
6. ^ Bhikkhu Nanamoli (1995). Bhikkhu Bodhi, ed. The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation
of the Majjhima Nikaya. Boston: Wisdom Publications. Sutta 4, paragraph 35, p.107; Sutta 7, paragraph 21, p.121;
Sutta 27, paragraph 27, p.227; Sutta 30, paragraph 24, p.297; etc.
7. ^ Anderson, Dines, & Smith, Helmer, ed. (1990). Sutta Nipata (pali). oxford: Pali Text Society. pp. 3942.
8. ^ Victor H. Mair (1990). Tao Te Ching: The Classic Book of Integrity and the Way, by Lao Tzu; an entirely new
translation based on the recently discovered Ma-wang-tui manuscripts. New York: Bantam Books. p. 110.
References
Refuge : An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha
(http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html#goi). Thanissaro Bhikkhu : Third
edition, revised, 2001
" " (The art of Gandhara), Yamada Kihito, ISBN 4-89806-106-0
External links
Triratna on the footprints of the Buddha (http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/footprints-
bussokuseki.html)
Buddhapada and Triratna
(http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/0100_0199/kushanart/buddhapada/buddhap
ada.html)
Another triratna on Buddha's footprint. (http://www.miho.or.jp/booth/html/imgbig/00001179e.htm)
Cambodian Buddhist Chanting: Paying Respect to the Triple Gem on YouTube.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_MiD8sofWE)
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