Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 48-minute teaching, Geshe Sopa explains how to take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—the foundation of Buddhist practice. He opens by comparing the Buddha to a skilled doctor who understands the disease of saṃsāra and has the knowledge and compassion to guide beings to freedom. Sopa then defines Dharma as the teachings and realizations that directly address suffering, and Sangha as the spiritual community that supports and inspires practice. He emphasizes that genuine refuge rests on three elements: understanding the causes of fear that make refuge necessary, recognizing the unique qualities of the Three Jewels as worthy objects of refuge, and cultivating sincere faith based on wisdom rather than blind belief. Through stories like Angulimala and references to the Jātaka tales, he illustrates the Buddha’s skillful methods in transforming even the most difficult practitioners. Sopa concludes by clarifying that true Buddhist identity depends not on outward form—clothing, rituals, or monastic vows—but on inner conviction: a genuine understanding of the Three Jewels and commitment to follow their guidance. Suitable for those beginning Buddhist study or seeking clarity on foundational practices.
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File: 10 LP.mp3
UUID: 763c028b-b5d7-4400-9535-04e0df12e0ce
Teacher: Geshe Sopa 1986
Collection: A lamp that illuminates the path (Geshe Sopa 1986)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 48.0 minutes
Words: ~5,180
Or this doctor. And then when you check those things who assists it or that to oneself accordingly, not wrong way or properly accordingly. The name doctor, the description or prescription or description. Right? Prescription.
Prescription. No. Anyway, what that is the or like those other or or or very kind nurses who believe the treatment, who then wanting to assist in the patients, or who then influence or, like, as way of, you know, what doctors given the prescription, or that that is a nurse. If those three combinations when you have, or that that is a if it’s, you know, curable thing, or that will cure. Or there’s not nothing more than that, you cannot search.
Or like that where spiritual, this kind of spiritual teaching or spiritual point. Also, other what is the or like doctor or who knows? And then all these problems, causes, and the thought, and what to do, how to do, what steps, and or each of them exactly on it or the by knowing. All the omniscience or first, you know, on a guru or teacher who have all this knowledge, who has experience, who sees, you know, ocularly those things, who gave this and able to give all detailed description. Other like that, well, that is the to Buddha.
So then when you say, I go to refers to Buddha, or the Buddha means, you know, to whom has, you know, all that kind of knowledge who can show properly or correctly or the like that, you right method or that that is the in that way or each three or Three Jewels, when you take refuge, little slight different way. Or to the to the Buddha, I ask like doctor. Or who can show who can show properly or perfectly. Or like that way. Or then I go refers to the Dharma.
Or Dharma means what is the teaching contains, teaching scriptures or teaching on what it contains. What is it contains is the special kind of or or inner development knowledge, you know, wisdom, or various kind of method, you know, or this or in a realization or state stage of the path, or that these things are contained. When these or these will directly or these are real Dharma. Real Dharma is the person who take the teachings and then practice or practice or after practice, only real realizations comes develop, each realization on many of these realization comes and the negative things and it ceases on slowly, step by step. There are level of, quote, cessation, truth of cessation.
What are those things one have? What are those these what? Realizations, paths, or true truth of path. All the cessation, truth of cessation means it will cease certain negatives from temporary or especially not entirely from the root or permanently ceasing that kind of cessation. Or that these two are real or like Dharma or like real medicine.
They fight directly to or victory or getting from all those disease. Other, I take refuge to Dharma, means all like that word, all that understanding. Then I take refuge to the Sangha. All Sangha means spiritual community, or some in the original sense or or like monks or nuns. Or that doesn’t mean wearing or or some dress or monks, nuns dressing or shaving hair or some that is not in the monk’s nun.
Or monk’s nun’s means or or person who taking whose life or the completely devoted toward to the teaching practice or the or in order to practice, you know, on successful or on the firm or stable. Or in order to have that, you have to strong environment, way of behaving, way of dressing, way of eating, etcetera. All situation is completely suited for that. So, therefore, for that purpose, even giving teachings on vows. Although there are so many vows, also monks and nuns and or there are primary or precept precepts vow.
And then a secondary or many, many rules and regulations, all of these are not Buddha is not giving his disciple, punishment, all that they are all or special way how to be enlightened, purely concentrated to all like that. So those are if there are those things in the practicing, oneself is early practicing, who learn, starting, following, or or carefully with the teaching of Buddha, and then who want us to or some others, if want to follow or try to have as much assist to them or to support them. Even even being like that, others want you by seeing, by imitating, by with the dealing friendly or relating with that, it naturally grows. Or other than spiritual growth or or happiness, one’s mind, etcetera. All of these are are many, many way to be with the community together or that helps to others.
All of that is the or Sangha. All the I take refuge Sangha, means all the like all the wishing to have some good or spiritual friend or or community who influence once or develop spiritual development, all these things by many different way. All the doors in it, when you have those things, then all the people get great success in the spiritual practice. You have the pure heart, good teacher, or good teaching, or medicine, or good assistant, when how you are doing practice, also have all the support. All of those things, when you do those things combined, they become all very, very powerful or very, very strong or help.
All of those so that way, then able to cure. Or the same way one who have great fear to or after death or maybe falling somewhere. Or like fear of like that or when you have, order what is the best method? Is it the order before you happen or take refuge means order like that way. Order like yeah.
Ourself here also or or something interested on on those lines or then try to find or or some kind of pure or teaching. Or that that teaching, listening in many, many hours, and then with the painful knee or etcetera or have a special kind of purpose. Or that able to bear those things or that has some special kind of wisdom or opens or to seeing or what is available. First, it’s not necessary from the very beginning. Everything except in the task to everything.
Our wisdom needs to space to what, how, why, and all these, you know, I have to training or learning. For some time, all little bit comfortable and more comfortable. Only finally, very, very, very comfortable. Only when you have those things, only should be spending one’s mind on the life toward those things. When you have this strong faith or strong trust trust or wanting to rely on those fully one’s own life from here on in the future for the purpose of in the future.
Other feeling of that kind of trust only have rise rise with not just merely or blind faith, rise from other actually, wisdom. Other finding the other one of those things out of wisdom or special kind of knowledge, you know, find. And then on any of those things, when you do, every doing success will be all peaceful, all comfortable, all oneself in joy or man or mind. Or anybody else say opposite way, on hundred times, one will not bothered by that. They will not be shaky by that.
Or or instead of that, or to them, or sometimes maybe or be compassionate and love and wanting to assist and and help if it’s possible or that that kind of situation will come. If one is not open, then all these possibilities are blocked. Or if a little open and not properly and strongly, not involved much, and the wisdom not easy to unfamiliar things, not easy to take. So therefore, on a little bit knowledge, then that will be very, very shaky. Or somebody says opposite way, on also convinced quickly, can convince, lose all these and confuse quickly on everything.
Again, big mess may come. Also, so therefore, all of those things are time of the take refuge means all very important. Our temple is entering to the real on the path or teaching is the goal, is the gate, is the gate. If one have or fully, all kind of irreversible, all kind of trust on them. Also, therefore, on the or if you have that, on the net, is in the real pure or refuge.
Or when you have that, or taking refuge, when you have the or refuge in purely, then all the main refuge is teaching themselves. A teaching means Dharma practice themselves. So now the each practice, what contains, what certain things should be doing, what certain things should not be doing, or whether you know, what should be accomplished. All of those things, you know, all the necessary to practice each of these steps. While you’re doing those things, you know, or the hardship or whatever or certain kind of physical uncomfort or certain kind of things even on the hindrance or on the meeting, but the sit on or this stone or the refuge, any faith, or wisdom, or this world, or the or unshakeable, or bring into one’s own mind still or continue to stronger doing that or peaceful way.
Other like that way, that is the all these other than general or other explanation. Other that is first topic is the depending on what causes one should be take refuge. Other, that is the are done. Each of those the pure or refuge will not come. That is easy when I understand that that properly.
And then opposite way or the or any kind of the trust or the trust on the object or one lacks of the on the fear or then or or this pure or the refuge will not come or strong refuge will not come. Other. Other, that is the done. Now next one is the to whom object or the object is or the those three Buddha and the Dharma and the Sangha. Now other object or here, for example, the quality of Buddha or the or showing.
Other this in the. Other what is the object need? What kind of the quality? What kind of quality? Or the that is the one or the one fear of what you know, whatever you have that fear on that object should have on the the or the free of if is it in the best object is if one free of that or free of that that fear.
For example, in this time, if you take the real refuge of Buddha, Buddha is free of all these fearful of all things. So therefore, that is the first quality. The oneself or the let’s say, the first one is the order oneself free from all those fear of things. For example, if one wants to or the or to protect or somebody in sinking in or big mud or something like that. And then one’s have not to sink in the mud.
Or one’s have free of that fear, and then outside, then pull somebody from the mud, protect, you know, like that way. One self also same situation, and then or cannot do. Other like that way, other one self, if you feel of that or able to do like that way. Other that is the first quality. That these are then mainly showing is the other those Three Jewels and then first reason for suitability of the object of refuge or the suitability.
Other like other that is the for example, Buddha or the Buddha is the other than there are four way of the suitability. Or that there’s a first one is the one self free of all these things. Or that that is one. The second one is. Means one’s self or upaya means method or the skill or skillful to or or one has greater skill for or to free others from that fear.
Other one has a special kind of method or skill or able or ability. Other that is mainly. Like like when you obtained Buddhahood, or that there is very, very special kind of skillful method. Other doctor skillful doctor can do many different way or one or patient or the big disease or one patient, or they may have many, many different levels of the treatment have to do. Other each of them, how to treat the special kind of or skill or need.
Other like that way, other teaching, other like the Buddha or has this all these qualities or these qualities For example, if somebody in the most, how do I say? Or the other, for example, in in a disease like desire and attachment or hatred or ignorance, etcetera. Or the somebody who is mostly all in the powerful or like ignorance or the all powerful anger or hatred or even a most sharp or sharp and strong hatred or anger or somebody subject to like that or then to skillful, skillful to cure all those things, free from that. Or there are certain kind of analogy, examples, and taught. Other, like, some few of those things.
For example, or these are example. Or you have you heard Angulimala? That is the story of Angulimala. Who who has great great powerful some kind of or or the hatred or anger or or the out of anger, wanting to kill all the other beings, other that he was He he has he wanted to kill. All mainly wrong his own one way with the wrong instruction from his somewhat some kind of the name he’s in or somebody’s teaching.
Or another way, his wrong or negative attitude or like that way or or the or the to other about two thousand people want to kill or he he already succeed, killed nine hundred and ninety nine he once killed. Or the last one or last one is he is the object is or try to find he couldn’t find finally. And finally, almost he wanting to kill his mother. All like that way. All the at the time, Buddha Buddha appears at that time, you know, of course, Buddha appear on the time to when he running everywhere and running to kill, all the Buddha appears on the on the road.
And then finally, all the all the days are long, long story, all the chasing chasing Buddha, they put in the long, long Buddha, you have special kind of miracles in the power, so they will put in chase for and finally, at some point, then Buddha stayed there and then talked with him or finally able to completely he was in it or subdued and become on the on the path of teaching of Buddha or Buddhist or Buddhist path or following or that way obtaining or in a higher achievement or obtained. All of these are explained. Those are the more skillful method. Other like that way. Other and then also we have the new also in a or Jātaka teachings that is why you have heard most dull or ignorant person or that story also or somebody who cannot memorize even a word two words for many, many months.
Or the or that also by special kind of method of Buddha given or explain teaching. Or and finally, this person also obtained arhatship during his life. And then also, he’s in the on the or two cousins who have strong. He try to get to the spiritual practice and to become a monk, Nanda and Upali, wants, but they are so or they or under the power of desire and attachment. Oh, there’s so much attachment, so not able to to become all like all spiritual path or to become ordination or or training at the.
So, therefore, this also put a special in it given all the treatment to one of the his or or Maudgalyayāna. And the Śāriputra, they have a special kind of miraculous power. Sometimes they go to the or create or manifest it or or lead teach them or lead them to somewhere, hold in hell or situation or hot and cold and all of these in hell situation built. And some of them huge on the or pot of where you you know, or boiling or such kind of metal or something kind of liquid. And then when they ask the way, you say, what are these?
Or then they taught, oh, these are the of in the or one who when or the doing such kind of attached to the world, all the or those, you know, those people too will be cooked. Especially this pot is the there are two such such name. This they they name come or after they die, they will come here, cook there. All the like that kind of so therefore, they are so afraid quite a bit. And then sometimes, they took them on heaven or higher or heavenly or manifestation or showing there are other some kind of special kind of gods or there was very, very beautiful or pleasure.
You know, they are heaven. The or the or the male and the female, all like those, all beautiful things, and all manifested. Or they are in some some places. Again, right situation. What did they say?
Oh, that these are the one who did it or do all good karma. All the virtues doing the result of these these beings born here. All of this special this area is the all that they again, they name came. All the when they if they do awesome special kind of all the cause of the merit virtues and to become ordination, etcetera, and they will born like be more here or something like that kind of thing. Or the anyway, certain kind of miraculous way even to or showing different way or finally these two or completely the next experience, seen.
All many all those things cause and effect relation and almost like direct like perception like that way, or they become convinced and finally, or enter to the path to become ordained. And finally, or they like or during that life obtained or arhatship, etcetera. Some of the these, you know, skillful method means like that way. Other, anyway, other that is the or the or that special kind of method to what even in training, even most difficult to or looks like impossible person who or impossible to training, but one has some some special kind of skill or method. Other than or the perfect knowledge or the omniscience or perfect love and compassion when you have all those things, or that do any or or can do or special kind of skill or that that way or that that kind of method.
And then or the third reason, when you remember two One should have the or or skill. And not only that, merely one has great skill or that is not enough. If one have the or the perfect object of refuge and who has the or great compassion or love to all without any discrimination. To some closed feeling or to some distant feeling, which we have a love and compassion or partial kind of not like that or some kind of perfect compassion love, which is this kind of distinction. Like like, for example, one of the the mark is That means whether somebody are with the or anger with the very anger or wanting to hurt or hurt or this teacher or to cutting his or flesh and try to cut or injure or as much hurt or harm or in a way of as much to harming done or that way one is doing on one side.
And the other side, you need to so much in a like and a love and a faith and audacity, wanting to great respect and honoring. So that with that motivation and one other side to or putting his body some kind of special kind of perfume and a special kind of nice dress and some whatever you good service, whatever you’re doing, those two two of those, and they’re completely opposite we are doing to one person or the both of them. All the love and the compassion equal. If if ordinary people, this our person doing this, we will get anger toward this. We will this person have a great, great love and a kind and appreciation.
Compassion and love become pure or perfect, then equal. Or some kind of perfume with a sweet scent of wood smelling, etcetera, like that way to doing one. Means like axe or something. Somebody cutting his limb with a powerful anger. Other two of to those two people are same equal love and compassion.
Other that is the these things also achievable. Other Buddhas Buddha means when you their mentality become like that, perfect, whether that is in Buddhahood. Whether something like that teaching or method come from like that or then, of course, object of refuge. So without distinction. Other that is the other if you have the discrimination, then whom you like you have you will do protection of god or whom you dislike instead of having or maybe, you know, or leave is in a or or in in different layer or maybe in a or or tends to hurting even or like that event.
Although that is the meaning. This story with the connection with the Buddha, of course, there are many, many, even in the on the present or some or some people have wrong view or some people have their own jealousy or anger or hatred or something like that way or try to do all many things or against or or the all of them doing other favorable way to very, very as known whatever you do. Buddha’s bearing is there or or or beneficial or like that way. Or that these each have special kind of or the reasons and story. Or for the for the reason is the Also, they doing purpose or help or the mainly help to to or anybody who or benefit to you, help to you, that was the or or some anybody else not done any kind of beneficial to you, or there’s a two different situation.
Or usually, it’s like that way. Other here is the or or the or the some somebody did great, great, beneficial, to the favorable or done or some somebody or nothing done or that the two two two to the both of the all them equal or the benefit to doing back to or toward to them equally or the know or differences. What are that kind of what are these are situation perfect level of the the suitability of the object or the object of the refuge. Other that’s even if you take refuge to Buddha, other that is the all of these apply to Buddha. Each of them can be approved.
Or they or then also when you see other other the teachings coming from those or then or that or the trusted in that way or then all practice, one like that. All of these are the all that to whom you are the take refuge. Then the third one, measurement. When you or the what is or what is the measurement or or then of the or taking refuge? Or then, actually, you have the pure refuge or not.
According to, actually, Buddhism or according to Buddhism, when you become Buddhist, or some people say, are you Buddhist or something. Also, it’s difficult to say what Buddhism or not Buddhism. Or then there’s no some kind of ritual. Everybody want a certain point in the Buddhist or or dress or or or some kind of a or formally something. There’s nothing much actual real Buddhist.
It’s not a formal formal thing. Other real Buddhist is the other to see who is Buddha. Other Buddha is the perfect object of refuge on seeing this way, And his teaching is the most valuable or beneficial to like that way, real or savior or real protection. Other real or Dharma is like like that we are seeing. Or that way take refuge to the his Dharma by trust or strong faith.
And then like that way. And the same as those who following closely, seriously, or those who spiritual or individual or group or whatever you see accordingly or to them on in oneself again or trust or wanting to deal with them or wanting to or looking up to with them or to imitate or no? I’m tool to I say. Imitate. No.
Earlier, I had. Now I’ve forgotten. Let’s say. No. No.
No. Imitate. Oh, imitate. Okay. Imitate.
Right? Also, so wanting to imitate them, wanting to follow what they do. By doing that way, trusting what they do or same way oneself follow and imitate. By doing that, oneself become or develop or success. Other like that way.
Other those three. Two. You have this kind of sincere, pure thought or attitude, which is deeply into one’s own mind, when you have one’s self wanting to live with that on faith or trustworthy or thought idea, then he is the, you could say, real true Buddhist, whether he has long hair or doesn’t matter. He wears in there or western thing or or monk or nuns or male or female, whatever, any kind of form, he’s Buddhist. Even he goes in everyday Christian church.
Or in a prayer or thinking or him or he he has in in in he or she has that kind of thought, he’s still a real Buddhist. Or if somebody have know those things, lack of those, but then in a or then they’re like or claim as a new Buddhist or, like, wearing or, like, like, this is my my dress. Order? This is the dress of Buddha wearing banner of the Dharma, but then actually not in the pure situation, not inside or have no much then or even shaving or wearing those things or or temple, etcetera, or many times doing ritual or prayer, but the word saying, but inside the mind have no much sincerity, purity, like that real trust or not going on into the mind, and then it’s still or that is not in the or not quite or pure Buddhist. Although we shouldn’t or completely or that is in the or some part of, you know, partially, Buddhist maybe.
Other like that way. Other like that is the or so, therefore, when you what is the Buddhist the non-Buddhist measurement is made by that. Although that is actually other, of course, that is in a general or other system also probably that is whether it’s somebody who is a Christian or not means have some kind of according to their tradition, that kind of faith, what do you have, maybe that or something like this. And this is similar. Other, anyway, here, other measurement talking about oh, we have to stop.
Right? How soon? Oh, almost not. Other, anyway, other. Other that is the name, I think the that has the some of the topics in them not want to detail because it has by going to refuge or by knowing the quality or the quality, properly understanding the quality, then to have a taste of faith.
Or then then quality, when you’re talking about, then what are the quality? What is the perfect quality of Buddha? What is Buddha means? You have to all these various kind of inner or outer qualities, realizations, you have to know. What is the Dharma means or the understanding nature of Dharma?
It is quality properly. Know? Means has also two level of the absolute, ultimate sangha, and the conventional. Each of those conventional and ultimate distinction. Other sangha, some or the sangha is even individual.
Sangha means the aryan who direct realization of the truth, point of truth. Other those of beings, even in lay people or doesn’t matter, one who has direct realization of four noble truths, then it is the real or ultimate Sangha. But it has no direct realization truth, then ordinary individual on then the Sangha Sangha means according to Buddhism, then for on a combination of the full ordained or female or fully ordained on a or the monk or those usually count as in the Sangha. Because why is the Sangha is in the or some something which is the object of refuge or Sangha who has the power to give ordination to others and and etcetera. There is a kind of special kind of or the society or group or that used like that way.
Anyway, all general nature of Sangha, actual, real, or Sangha quality. All of these, each of those understanding those way, and then once have wisdom, realization whom you’re going, whom you’re taking refuge, each of those qualities properly understand. With understanding that way, then all special trust or faith or strong irreversible faith or doing that and following or really wanting to follow that. Whether that is the actual real or refuge. Other than this based on this, refuge has three different levels as earlier I mentioned.
Level is if they’re taking refuge to the those Three Jewels are for the protection of, from falling into lower rebirth. That is refuge for the inferior beings, and then for the protection of whole saṃsāra realm. Other from wanting to get out from saṃsāra realm, all these without relying on these Three Jewels, there’s nothing outside, all that these three combination have. So therefore, all taking refuge like that. All the even doing for benefit of all mother sentient beings, there’s no other way of doing.
Mainly, according to the proper method, teaching, develop inner all these things, and then to able to or the help to all mother sentient beings. All all of these outside of the on taking refuge, there’s nothing. Take taking refuge on all Buddhist practice or teaching. When you do sincere teaching, you already have the taking refuge. That is teaching seriously to practice following doing that.
That means you have understanding. You have trust. Have believing in that, so you rely on that. Through that protection, you are doing something or try to remove certain things, try to gain certain things. Already, our refuge, there’s no outside in it.
All all that practice and then and no. Whether that is include everything. Whether oh, we’ll stop there. Alright. Okay.