What is Three Jewels?
The Three Jewels (Sanskrit: triratna; Pali: tiratana), also called the Triple Gem or Three Refuges, constitute the central objects of refuge in Buddhism. They are: the Buddha (the awakened one, both historical and as enlightened nature), the Dharma (the teachings and universal truth), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners, particularly monastics who preserve the lineage). Taking refuge in the Three Jewels marks formal entry into Buddhist practice across all traditions—Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The refuges function both as external supports and symbolic representations of awakened qualities practitioners cultivate within themselves.
Origins & Lineage
The Three Jewels emerged during the lifetime of Siddhartha Gautama (circa 563–483 BCE, though dates remain debated), the historical Buddha. According to the Pali Canon, the first refugees were the Buddha’s initial disciples—the five ascetics at Sarnath who heard his first sermon on the Four Noble Truths around 528 BCE. The formal refuge formula appears in the Vinaya Pitaka and early suttas, where followers declare: “I go for refuge to the Buddha, I go for refuge to the Dharma, I go for refuge to the Sangha.”
Different Buddhist schools interpret the jewels distinctly. Theravada tradition emphasizes the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, the Pali Canon as Dharma, and the arya-sangha (those who have attained at least stream-entry) as the true Sangha. Mahayana Buddhism expands the Buddha-jewel to include all Buddhas across time and space, treats Dharma as both scripture and emptiness (sunyata), and recognizes both monastic and lay practitioners as Sangha. Vajrayana adds tantric dimensions, correlating the jewels with body, speech, and mind, and sometimes incorporating them into the Three Roots (Lama, Yidam, Dakini).
The refuge ceremony became standardized by the time of Emperor Ashoka (304–232 BCE), who promoted the Three Jewels throughout his edicts and supported their spread across Asia.
How It’s Practiced
Taking refuge is both a one-time ceremonial act and a daily recitation. In formal refuge ceremonies, practitioners kneel before a teacher or altar, recite the refuge formula three times in Pali, Sanskrit, or vernacular language, and may receive a refuge name or red protection cord. Theravada ceremonies often include taking the Five Precepts immediately after refuge.
Daily practice involves reciting the refuge prayer—often three times—at the start of meditation sessions or upon waking. Tibetan practitioners typically recite: “Sang gyé chö dang tsok kyi chok nam la / Jang chub bar du dak ni kyab su chi” (“I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha until I attain enlightenment”). This recitation functions as both reminder and re-commitment.
Practitioners express refuge through physical acts: bowing to Buddha statues (representing the Buddha jewel), studying and memorizing sutras (honoring Dharma), and participating in or supporting monastic communities (venerating Sangha). Pilgrimage to sites associated with the Buddha’s life—Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar—enacts refuge through embodied devotion.
Three Jewels Today
Contemporary seekers encounter the Three Jewels primarily through introductory Buddhist courses, meditation retreats, and temple visits. Organizations like Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and Shambhala centers offer classes explicitly teaching the refuges as foundational framework. Refuge ceremonies occur regularly at urban dharma centers, though Western converts sometimes take refuge informally through self-study rather than formal ritual.
The Sangha jewel has evolved significantly in Western contexts. While traditionally referring to ordained monastics, American and European Buddhist communities increasingly recognize lay practitioners as Sangha, creating tension with Asian immigrant communities that maintain traditional monastic hierarchies. Online sanghas have emerged during the 2020s, raising questions about whether virtual community fulfills the refuge.
Scholar-practitioners like Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Pema Chödrön, and Stephen Batchelor have written extensively on the refuges for Western audiences, emphasizing their psychological and ethical dimensions over devotional elements. Secular Buddhism movements reinterpret the jewels non-theistically: Buddha as human exemplar, Dharma as natural law, Sangha as ethical community.
Common Misconceptions
The Three Jewels are not deities to be worshiped. While devotional practices exist, particularly in Pure Land and Vajrayana traditions, the refuges function primarily as supports for self-cultivation rather than external saviors. The Buddha explicitly rejected the role of creator god.
Taking refuge does not require renouncing other religious affiliations in most Buddhist traditions. Many Asian Buddhists simultaneously practice Taoism, Confucianism, or indigenous religions. However, some teachers argue that genuine refuge implies prioritizing Buddhist view and practice.
The Sangha jewel is not merely social community. While fellowship matters, the technical definition refers specifically to those who have realized stages of awakening (in Theravada) or to ordained monastics who maintain precepts and lineage transmission. The distinction between this “noble Sangha” and “conventional Sangha” (all practitioners) remains significant in traditional contexts.
Taking refuge is not a one-time event but requires continuous renewal through practice and ethical conduct. Simply reciting the words does not constitute refuge if contradicted by actions.
How to Begin
Those new to the Three Jewels should start with Bhikkhu Bodhi’s essay “Going for Refuge” or the chapter on refuge in Walpola Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught (1959), which provides clear historical and doctrinal context. Reginald Ray’s Indestructible Truth offers comprehensive coverage across traditions.
Visit a local Buddhist center to observe or participate in a group refuge recitation—most Theravada temples include it in weekly services. Insight Timer and Plum Village apps feature guided refuge meditations. For formal refuge ceremony, contact teachers at established centers; most require completing an introductory course demonstrating understanding of the commitment.
Begin a personal practice by reciting the refuge formula each morning: “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha.” Notice how this declaration shifts intention and attention throughout the day. Study gradually unfolds understanding; ritual establishes the container.