Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 49-minute teaching, Geshe Sopa explains the foundational Buddhist practice of taking refuge in the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. He begins by describing the vast merit generated through genuine refuge, rooted in understanding the Buddha’s perfect qualities and ultimate aim to benefit all sentient beings. Geshe Sopa then unpacks how to correctly take refuge: recognizing external representations of the Three Jewels (Buddha images, sacred texts, the robes of ordained practitioners) not as objects of worship themselves, but as symbols that embody and point toward their deeper meaning. He covers the mental attitudes required—genuine trust born from understanding rather than blind faith—and the positive and negative precepts that follow from refuge: honoring the Three Jewels and avoiding contrary teachings and practices. Throughout, he emphasizes that refuge forms the gateway to all Buddhist practice, grounding the path from its beginning through enlightenment. Pitched at practitioners new to Buddhist training.
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File: 13 LP.mp3
UUID: 0f4c6434-2ae0-4355-90fd-03b96fae7288
Teacher: Geshe Sopa 1986
Collection: A lamp that illuminates the path (Geshe Sopa 1986)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 49.3 minutes
Words: ~4,882
Other that is benefit one quotation. I will talk about the all the details. Whether that is the benefit. Also, if to the Three Jewels, by understanding this way to from the heart, actually take refuge, all the that merits, all the virtues, accumulation merits, all the other great greatness. Or if merits, if you have piled up somewhere, then then it’s almost like the other ocean.
If that merits as is physically, if they are and it pile somewhere, and it it will not or not not fit in this whole in this world or other. That is mainly. It is the this universe are also small for for that. Other, that is the or it is not one way looks like exaggeration or something. But in in reality, of course, not exaggeration because is word on this or is in or the comparison.
Comparison when all these Dharma or result or when you achievement of the perfect buddhahood. If one individual is obtained the perfect Buddhahood or the superior or completely beyond or, you know, any quality, anything from the world or worldly any quality, worldly things are impure. It has limitation. They are destructive or or unstable or impure. Other than this, a result of this, when you’re talking, permanent bliss or permanent or peace or permanent quality.
All all of these, when a result, when achieves, all that that way, so therefore, and then also before obtaining that goal, on the path from beginning up to obtaining that, there are so many levels or many, many virtues, wholesome, ordinary development, or effect. So many inexhaustible way of achieving of those. So therefore and then that if separate, spread from all to all all sentient beings. Other all sentient beings, all reach this out to everybody on obtaining higher and higher or finally achieve that goal. Of course, all these qualities result is the pain or benefit of the three.
Our refuge merits are very vast and or or cannot fit in this world. Whether that is meaning like that way. Other. And then there are precepts has from the negative side of advice, from the point of positive side of the of. Positive side of the advice, some of them thought.
Negative side, what earlier we were talking, by each, taking which means one should avoid certain things, those three things which are talking. Mainly, there are much more. Or means that there’s some of the once you have understanding what is the Buddha means, Buddhahood means. What is the Buddha mean to sentient beings or to oneself? What does Buddha do?
There’s nothing no no function, no purpose, no goal other than other benefit of other all the mother sentient beings, happiness of other sentient beings, or happiness of sentient beings. The those are the Buddha’s due duty or action. And all these are or complete compassion or these objective goal is like that way. So, therefore or in this understanding that way, then one all have great respect to the or to the Buddha. Also, therefore, trust on faith or to to the Buddha, or one you have, then all that this Nāgārjuna has hinted, , all the all the his letter to his disciple or one of the king, Other saying this, the whether that is the a positive side is, of course, to honor or respect or trust to to the Buddha himself.
But even means his image or, like, image. Like, for example, Buddhist culture is, like, made out, like, metal or or wood or mud or or image like Buddha like this. Of course, it is made out in image or the wood or mud, etcetera. We are not taking refuge to mud or wood, but the understanding of the what this mean. Who is Buddha?
What Buddha does one say? Or thinking in the quality, in the power, and the one’s own will going to refer to the Buddha. So as remember or highly respected as or so honored way, and then put high class, even respect. Bow down. Only bow down, thinking in or actually Buddha or Buddha who has those quality.
This is representative of the of Buddhas. Buddhas representative of the body or like or many, many marks. We don’t see, but this is a simple way. This is representative of the body. Or sometimes Buddhas representative of the speech.
Of course, usually, Tibetan custom. Scriptures. All scriptures also put high level, and you don’t step on those things, and you don’t put lower than once. Put higher levels and as a sacred, like, again, respecting, honorable. That is representative of speech.
Or Buddha’s representative of mind or mind in stupa call. Other like this kind of thing. Other this kind of thing also representative of mind, which has many, many levels. It has many, many symbolic of the mental, inner mind, and the Buddha’s knowledge, or special kind of achievement, etcetera. This represented all mind.
So therefore, body, speech, mind, all those three, all the, you know, honor. Even something like simple like this somewhere seen, all one should be picked up or like that. That is to a positive side of the advice like that. Or that that is to take refuge to Buddha. Or positive side to refuge to Dharma, what you do is the or Tibetan culture.
If you have the scripture or teaching or book like this or respecting what this contains, real our knowledge or protection, Dharma, information, relying on that. Unlike Buddha gave you or any teacher, spiritual teacher, give you do this or don’t do this. And from that, you get knowledge. From that knowledge, one self free or liberation or practice. All of these, they are contained.
Same way, these have contained also they were from or from these, you can conventional Dharma means these scriptures, books, which explains exactly. So therefore, even those have also because real dharma is the meaning of this, which in in our mind when later develop. That is real dharma, but that the things which are shown on and contains these books also. So, therefore, books also highly respect it. Even sometimes piece of book, I mean, are turned down into somewhere street.
If Tibetan lay people walking somewhere or something like this floating in with the wind, they will pick up and put like this, and then finally put somewhere higher place or somewhere on a special place and live there. Or is it again, our main thing is that all these these other all, like, represented of Dharma. So taking refuge to the Dharma and then honorable respecting. So like this. So, therefore, all those things, you know, also positive honor.
So therefore, one’s mind turn over to Buddha, or Dharma, Sangha. So they were always kind of practicing mentally and how or deeply how to say or the have environment. Other the new Sangha, positive aspect of Sangha also because the some of the religious garment, for example, according to tradition, Buddhist tradition. For example, monks and the nuns wearing certain kind of dress, dress which is really used by Buddha when who obtaining Buddhahood enlightenment. After Buddhahood enlightenment, also many great saints, and especially religious garment, has many, many, again, examples of color.
And, also, there are many, many, like, piece like this. They are cut cut pieces. It’s not whole thing or symbolic of the how to say? Order or unattached symbol kind of or the renouncing worldly pleasure, enjoyment, or to mainly steps to the spiritual goal or one’s own life fully or spending for those in area. So, therefore, garments and also or banner of religious order, they’re called a kind of banner.
That means something it has many or it has or it has various kind of symbols also. All of these things, you know, were only by all those who took all religious vow or many, many commitment and who only want in in it or, like, involved to pure practice for the also for the future on this life to put in it it is energy for the future long last goal rather than only for this temporary life. So, therefore, that’s a symbolic way and a little unusual and a rest of the people or something are different in a custom or different way of the wearing. Or the when you see this, you know, are, again, or supposed to be those people who wearing or are main practitioner practitioner who has an or certain kind of understanding or started, understand, who put the or actual practical manner or so who has a good or kind mind who or oneself practicing like that way. And then also to the others, reveal a certain that way.
So in it or anybody who all network have that kind of mind to or willing to assist or have to others, oneself doing same way with together wanting to all go to all journey for emancipation or freedom or perfect enlightenment or same brutal way. Other that kind of quality. Other that way, even little piece of like this, you know, somewhere road or something. Or and if, for example, or like people or somebody, you you see something piece of like that, monk’s dress or like chuba like this, this is obviously and no effort, or he will not step on over that. Oh, this is such such a oh, Sangha’s dress here, Or they will say also Buddhist dress.
Or anywhere, so they also honor or respect, put somewhere else. Although that is a mental attitude. Because everything, mental attitude is the most important or symbolic understanding that way. Other so therefore, other those things. So these each of these action, each of those have become or they’re taking refuge, have more meaningful, more strong, more tying to the or then actually spiritual path.
Other those every aspect become path, become stronger. Or like that way. Other that is the main other other teaching. So I think maybe we’ll stop there. Too much things.
Okay. We’ll stop there. Thank you. And then then, also, there are some people who this is are there who take refuge? Okay.
What are the although those since we were talking about refuge today, when you’re taking refuge, actually, may not have much time to explaining detail so much, but these things mainly on thinking. And then, technically, which means for the life and a certain kind of desire to do something or this life or meaningful or useful way. And then that is the how to take refuge, means on relying on all those those area. Other three refuge is based on that many things can do, or spiritual goal or high intermediate level or on lower level starting from lower level and go higher and higher or this or same way. Or the whether that is the I think that’s it.
No? Thank you very much. Means or having having obtained you know, such life or or this kind of life or the entire or leisure and fortunate or, I mean, or life like this, and having obtained. If this time, you don’t do the practice or virtues, or would mean wholesome or practice wholesome or action or virtues. If I don’t or do in this life, means that means or that is the or the this no.
Or then other than more deceive deceive, deceitful to oneself. Or there’s no or more no more. The stupidity other than this. What is that kind of that is the Śāntideva was saying. What is that?
It means that when we have such a wonderful human life or life which has endowment or the quality. Every or every aspect of the quality, which can obtain or the highest the highest in the human object to goal or in the pervasion or enlightenment or this the or can one one achieve or this life or if if this life also if one or they protect our future future life. Uh-uh. Or the future. Or the everybody does any work for the for the future.
Or for the future to have benefit or good or objective goal achieved or to the for the future, or try to make some kind of or for preventing or disaster or to be cut or the misery or suffering or what kind of undesirable things or try to try to prevent. Like that, so therefore, in in this life, other or most of the human life wonderful or the from the point of mind, when they passed to many, many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, when they achieved highest goal or nirvana or emancipation. On and on some obtained perfect Buddhahood, some are on the way to close to obtaining Buddhahood. With this sattva path or path, they are many, many tenth stages or some are in the first stage or some are second, third, fourth, fifth, like that way. All these various kind of stage of attainment.
Although all of these are many of these during human life obtained. So therefore, we have same kind of mentality, same kind of life From the point on condition from the inner or outside condition, every aspect, nothing which is lacking. Other are mainly false, which are not done or proper and and utilize meaningful life if this waste that is in one’s own fault. Or that this fault is the not letting this work for the future or beneficial goal for self and beneficial goal for others. Or if one do not do when you have opportunity, or then letting this just wasting, or life just quickly goes in that way, whether that is the most deceiving of oneself or thinking there is no much in the future or not worrying about or does it only temporary or food, dress, cloth, or or just temporary.
There’s no or ignoring or not considering anything in the future or life after death, especially. And then if the further from there and highest goal, there are many things can achieve. Those things all are put aside or ignored or no or pay attention, etcetera, one step is this is the final thing. This is the satisfactory. When satisfied, try to satisfy that thing which is never satisfactory or things or the dealing with that or or all the energy put that way, that is the most deceitful to oneself.
This is the almost stupid. It is one who realized this way, he used to talking to oneself or not talking to I would say, oh, you are a student, not talking any graceful way. Oneself, other thinking like that way. Other in this way, everybody should be thinking or not needing to say, or or they are foolish or stupid or deceitful. Instead of that, oneself, how deceitful.
Oneself, how like that way. What are that kind of or that was saying. So therefore, what this understanding then value on it, the life precious life and life which can achieve many, many different levels and goals, many, many can save from or save or protect our future many, many or the result or the falling first, the beginning. Right after that falling lower rebirth, from there on, all oneself net freeing from whole saṃsāra circle of life and this conditioned or life or serving nature. And, also, life which can bring all the in enlightenment for the benefit of other sentient beings or quickly can achieve even one’s one life or few lives can be able to achieve that started in this intelligent, most sophisticated mentality.
With this utilizing this, all of these things can be done. Also, therefore, all that that is the main reason. So therefore, we have not talking much of this or what this life can if used properly or meaningfully, what can what steps can do, or what kind of things can do? What are these things? While we were talking, the subject, the subject is talking about the impermanence of life and the life after what will what will happen or the or the or the future life or future life has various kind of life or types of life which has many, many different quality.
Although most of them, when you’re thinking, lower rebirth. Or once you fall from here, human level, if worse than human level, no one once you fall down there, then it or kind of for the time being, like, All they’re like that kind of situation. Also, therefore, all the first first goal is immediate all the preparation for or after right after death, all one step, a kind of tool. All the confidence, one step, all the aiming, looking, goal, preparation, all already fully done when you have one step of freedom or leisure or fortune. That is the dal ten pa.
So we have one topic. Is the future life or future in the in in the world. Or happy or or free of misery. We talked in there for these two method. If one mainly concerned in right after immediate life or in the future life or not falling into lower rebirth or wanting to born higher rebirth, a better life, a life where you can still more or continuous or to rebuild that.
Although that is the for that purpose, two main subject. Or that means the first or taking refuge. Or means entering to the real or teaching or method or entering to the real safety path or the real safety path. That is like gate or, like, door of that is the of which is the jangchub. Or the gateway is taking refuge.
Or where you take refuge. If you have fear or in order to say from that what where you are trust, where you rely, what kind of protection one should or do other, that is the taking refuge. It means like that way. So therefore, first, refuge. And after refuge, done properly, Second, root of blissful result or event or what you call, all of these root of that.
Or the is a special kind of trust or faith, understanding to know the understanding of the other karma and its results, other cause and effect, or cause a certain kind of cause, effect, or or that those things, consequences, or negative side, a certain cause, and it is consequences, and or bad result if one do not know, or that is a big problem, or if one do not know core cause of what one wants to do or wants to achieve or wants undecided, most desired goal or those goals, how to achieve if one doesn’t do not know, all the of course, again, all that is in a problem. So, therefore, all the teaching of Buddhas and all the great and the saint is taught all the cause and effect or that is karma and its precise fruit or result. How these karmas work? How these result between good and bad? Oh, all the black and white cause and effect properly understand, and then all the result can be followed that way.
So therefore, the second topic is faith or trust to to the confidence to the this cause and effect, which is as explained. All that is the second. All that when these two understanding or one’s own mind, then all the in the level, the two following practicing, other those proper understanding way, other that is the main practice or safety safety oneself safe from many. And oneself can go toward to the closer or achieving to one’s our objective goal or the higher. That is based on this, we talked much about the first topic is how to take refuge.
We just briefly or each of these subjects, since I have we have to do this all centers altogether, or the Bodhipathapradīpa, this root text, or try to complete. So, therefore, each of those topics or brief way or the well, although too brief, and then nothing will understand or it will not beneficial to the people or well enough to some kind of general understanding. So therefore, all each talking about those things. All that too much in detail, we’re not able to do. Other that although we talked to the think most of you have for the taking refuge, we have the five topics.
Although, briefly, we talked about about all of first, refuge when you take refuge or from what cause cause of the refuge. That is also cause fear and trust to the to the object, three jewel. That is in the cause with talk. And then you you also also or that you, mister, are subject to whom or or one can take refuge. That is also about that is the are the are the some are Three Jewels.
Or the is the object which is oneself free from all those fears, and, also, one has a quality to others in a safe and a protect. All these provisions are beginning, you know, Buddha or Dharma or Sangha. Those are the Three Jewels. All of those things already talked. And then or or how to go to refuge, how or where of going to refuge.
Other that is then also have several topics. Or each of them, or. Like, first, by knowing that when you take refuge to the Three Jewels, one has to start learning what is those Three Jewels, Buddha or Dharma or Sangha. When you’re talking refers to those, what is the Buddha or nature of Buddha meaning or what quality? What can Buddha do?
And then the next, the Dharma. When you take refuge, Dharma means, oh, what is that mean or nature of Dharma, what can that do? What that protect my or what does it do for my problem or something like thinking that way or Dharma or knowing properly and then how to order order. So to knowing the proper quality, all of those things in it, like they were dharma. And then also, sangha.
All the all the Sangha, each of those, their quality, properly understanding. What are these? Again, quality of we talked a little bit. Or then each have detail when you understand detail, also quality sometimes or keeping in the mind as long as this area from here up to one seeking highest goal, perfect enlightenment, all this work of so called practice or meditation, all all kind of exercise, whatever the body, speech, and mind to to the or or the or the the goal to or perfect enlightenment. All of these are based on those three or three three things, all the Three Jewels.
So, therefore, as it’s almost important also to knowing those quality on further and further or deeper, more clearer and clearer as understanding about the nature and quality of function, distinct different in a unique their own functional thing. Or this one, you understand more and more. The understanding itself makes or trust or faith or fully trust to come from understanding or that is that is the analytical realization. That is the best reference to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Or or they can be faith or trust or some kind of blunt or blunt faith, or you could start a little bit small weak way or roughly, but they should not leave them or that faith, and then, like, bluntly without knowing much and then just simply, but taking to what is the Buddha means.
How or Dharma, all of these. And then one actually, all the real all the working with all these three. And then that is the only way to obtaining our spiritual highest goal. All that so therefore, means also various kind of distinction differences. Other in this has also this it has in in within the many topics.
So for example, under I mean, knowing the various kind of different qualities, distinctions, or the distinctions. Or that this has also us or several topics, like like six of different topics. Also, aware of taking refuge. Also, called means by way of, mainly finally accepting. Other other accepting or promising.
Promising. From now on or thinking like that, once you realize or like medical term, somebody doctor who is qualified oneself for a special to or the freeing special disease which oneself having, or once you realize or then realization, then fully or the permanent promising to take that as main or the permanent remedy or safer or like that way. All he’d met medicine also mean or saving. Or then who’s following closely or the nurse or like that way, Buddha or his teaching or the Sangha, all of them all special way, and then finally once and then finally to or the taking, accepting, or or promising to or relying on one like that way or or the those things. Only?
Once you have that, when the next next one also, means means any other. It doesn’t mean any other or or or they are not taking refuge to others too. But refuge, leaving those things and those are not good or something else, try to taking refuge or something outside. But there’s nothing to spiritual goal which is not include in these all three. So, therefore, or or something opposite way or teacher or teaching or, like, rather than a perfect enlightened one or teaching right path instead of that or compassion and loving or various these qualities or the one who teaching like that instead of that somebody who all lead or the wrong wrong way at the.
All that these or practice with Dharma. All Dharma means teaching of the non all and harm non harming or compassionate or loving or practicing mind in the noble or wholesome or the great realization and kindness, all these things development, these teachings, Dharma, and the practice themselves also in Dharma. All the like that. Instead of that, all certain kind of the teaching, all the need to harming, all to or or if if if one needs to or right to destroy or kill or should be practiced in killing, etcetera, or lying, etcetera. Although there can be wrong view at or that like that way, opposite way, you can have.
It’s not all of these things are avoiding or not accepting as once you understand other true Dharma. Other like this kind of the various way, taking refuge. Other that is those various in the way of taking many, many point of view, many, many way to or ref or take to Three Jewels. And then also the we talked all the fourth one, benefit of the or taking refuge Benefit of the taking refuge. Other benefit is also other if we have time to, you know, one by one.
Order, it has various kind of order and then listed in eight different way of topics explained. But then or, inevitably, other benefit of the taking refuge to the to the jewels means is a benefit is from all the whatever the positive or the or close toward to the higher spiritual goal. That means perfect enlightenment or or nirvana, emancipation, or toward to this, whatever develops in within one’s own mental mind or the a certain kind of understanding, realization. Or from that or the developing various kind of positive mind and attitude. By reinforce those things developing many, many negatives too slowly, and it offers the reduce.
Finally, entirely removing or step by step. All of these development or the from starting beginning and up to perfect enlightenment, all of these are benefit of taking refuge. Other like like patience who take refuge correct or the proper doctor or proper medicine or proper nurse, those three combinations when you take other sincerely, you know, correctly, accordingly, or seriously when you take other closer closer or each step toward to the complete. How to All recover. All the or like that way, all the decision has to or think.
Then or briefly or lastly. Or lastly means also advice or precept. Or when you take refuge to the Three Jewels, and then or the there are individual advice to taking refuge to Buddha or for the positive and the negative, both the side or take refuge to Buddha or or from the negative side or or one should try to avoid as much wrong way, wrongly or or guide opposite way or avoid those things. And then a positive way to Buddha, Buddha’s teaching in Buddha’s or respecting, honoring, or entirely from the heart to or that is the one’s own or the or highest in the guide or the most or beneficial or or the object of worship or worth or something like that way. Whether that is the that way, remembering all the qualities and beneficial or the perfect qualities, knowing that kindness, other than that, we’re even symbol of the or, like, it is a statue or, etcetera, or representative of body, speech, mind, or those or even to to them also respecting honor like that way.