The fourteen vows of taking refuge in the Supreme Three Jewels
- Three vows about what you should do:
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Buddha, you should think of all images of Buddha as the truly enlightened.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Dharma, you should respect any Dharma text.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Sangha, you should respect the Dharma clothes dressed for any monk.
- Three vows about what you should not do:
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Buddha, you should not look for refuge in worldly gods, external masters and protectors.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Dharma, you should not harm any sentient being.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Sangha,
you should not associate with people of wrong views.
- Three vows group by similarity:
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Buddha, you should respect your Guru as the true Buddha.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Dharma, you should think of the words of your Guru as the precious Dharma.
- From the moment that you take refuge in the Sangha, you should think of your Guru’s disciples and followers as the true and precious Sangha and respect them with pure vision.
- Five common vows:
- Never slander the Three Jewels at all, even for saving your life or under pressure or seduction.
- Never give up the Three Jewels and look for refuge in another place while you’re in terrible difficulties.
- Offer our food to Three Jewels before eating, especially on
Buddhist days.
- Invite those that haven’t found the Three Jewels yet to take refuge and keep our own refuge vows.
- Wherever you go, respect the Three Jewels with sincere devotion.
The benefits of following the vows of taking refuge: We can benefit ourselves if we follow the vows of take refuge.
- Temporary benefits as told in the Sutra Surya Garbha
- We can avoid external obstacles, catastrophes of earth, fire, wind and water nature elements, and the influence of demons.
- We can avoid internal obstacles and resulting unbalances from earth, fire, wind and water elements in our body and receive the blessings of the Three Jewels.
- We can avoid secret obstacles as our impure thoughts that can prejudice. As opposed to this, we supervise our minds according to the Buddha teachings.
- Definite benefits as told in the Sutra Prajnaparamita If the benefits of taking refuge be measured by the form, they are bigger than the Universe and eventually, you can reach buddhahood.
- Taking refuge in the Buddha, you can reach buddhahood.
- Taking refuge in the Dharma, you can teach “the three turns of the Dharma Wheel”.
- Taking refuge in the Sangha, you will be a possessor of a peaceful mind like the harmonious followers and disciples like Shravakas, Pratyekabuddha and Boddhisattvas.
Soon, we can benefit uncountable sentient beings through the taking and observing the taking refuge vows.
This comes from a commentary of Vimalamitra,.
