Talk:Three Jewels
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[edit] Sangha
In regards to the description of the three jewels as laid down by the Buddha during his lifetime it is, at best, innacurate to claim that "Sangha" refers to anything other than the Arya Sangha (noble disciples), which is the group of beings possessing at least some degree of enlightenment, or the Bhikkhu Sanhga (monastics), community of monks and nuns. At worst it is revisionism.
While, in the West it is quite common to refer to the Sangha as a "the religious community" or all Buddhist lay-persons; it is incorrect to use this lax definition of Sangha when refering to the classic act of taking refuge.
Should Mahayana doctrine or any other tradition have changed the definition of refuge in the Sangha then such change should be referenced as a deviation from the classical but a stricter classical defintion should be outlined.
Please reference to following for examples of authoritative references on the subject:
- Enumeration of the Buddha's suttas including reference to refuge in the Sangha from the Pali canon: [1].
- Anaylysis by monastic, Thanissaro Bhikkhu on the meaning of Sangha: [2].
- www.accesstoinsight.org essay with further references: [3].
If you have counter arguments, please provide authoritative references, such as suttas, sutras, commentaries, etc.
RandomTask 20:00, 6 January 2006 (UTC)
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- I agree with you RT - however, this may be only one stance among many. What we can certainly state is that the Sangha has been traditionally identified as either the
- Arya Sangha, or the
- Bikkhu Sangha
- In recent years, different Buddhism groups (who often have no Bikkhu Sangha have extended the definition in order to give it some meaning. One of the reasons why the definition of Sangha is so important is that it is one of the three refuges that define a Buddhist. (20040302 10:16, 24 June 2006 (UTC))
[edit] Religious Meaning
I cut this paragraph. Perhaps it belongs more in an article on the Three Refuges?
Religious meaning
Taking the three refuges is the formal difference between Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Briefly said, it means that one accepts the Buddha as the example of an enlightened teacher, his teachings as the guidebook on the path, and the Sangha of Monks and Nuns as inspiring examples, teachers, and guides.
A traditional Refuge prayer:
- Until I attain Enlightenment,
- I take refuge in the Three Jewels;
- The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
202.72.148.102 06:30, 24 June 2006 (UTC)Bhikkhu Silaveda
[edit] Vajrayana Refuge prayer
Although this prayer is certainly used in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition, this prayer does not contain any vajrayana aspect? Basically, this is a Mahayana Refuge prayer. Occasionally one can find a different version which actually refers to '4 Jewels': the teacher, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; I think this is exclusively found in the Vajrayana. There is however not really an extra jewel, as the teacher is considered a living representation of the 3 Jewels. The importance of a teacher is counted extremely high in Vajrayana, much more then in other traditions as far as I know. rudy 18:31, 23 January 2007 (UTC)
