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What conduct contradicts taking refuge in the Dharma?
For example, a large number of people go to Kagyu Monlam. We bring along with us a lot of gossip... We spend too much time speaking of the faults of others, or trying to push one another's buttons. Also... much of our conversation seems to center around complaints and misgivings. 

But when we do this, we really need to turn inward and look at what we are doing.

What can be done to bring the practice of Dharma into daily life?
As ordinary beings, of course we all have faults. We are not just ordinary beings, we are Dharma practitioners, which means that we have a responsibility. We have the responsibility to not focus on one another's faults, but to focus on one another's virtues, and this is like the life-tree of our Dharma.

In many sutras and tantras, with regard to reliance upon spiritual friends, it is very hard to find a spiritual friend or master who is perfect, who possesses every quality and lacks any flaws. But it is sufficient to rely on a spiritual friend who has the most qualities and the least flaws. 

In relying upon a spiritual friend, and also in relating to one's Dharma friends, we need to be like bees that take the nectar from the flower, take what they need and do not adopt or take what they do not need. We therefore need to focus on the virtues of others, and not their flaws or defects. If we focus on defects of others, we will start to adopt defects of others, and there is simply no point in that. We are trying to improve ourselves, to increase our physical, verbal, and mental virtue. If therefore, we pay attention to the virtues of others, we will be inspired by them, and we will develop more faith, more devotion, more love, and more compassion. And this will be to our benefit.


We may say "I take refuge in the Dharma" but do we actually focus on what is good in others, on their virtues? If we do not, if we focus on others defects, then our taking refuge in the Dharma is really just words. 

The virtues of others are not recorded virtues, found in books. They are living virtues. We have the tendency to pay too little respect to the living virtues embodied in those around us. Especially in the case of someone we dislike, we will paint them in our minds as utterly negative, and convince ourselves that they have no virtues whatsoever. If we do that, there is danger that our taking refuge in the Dharma may simply be a matter of words. It is very important that we turn inward and think about this.


What constitutes a genuine or authentic vow of refuge?
What does one have to do to genuinely go for refuge?
For going for refuge to be fully authentic, it must possess four attributes:

The first is an understanding of the qualities of the Three Jewels, as described, for example, in the Sutra of the Recollection of the Exalted Three Jewels.

The second is to understand the superiority or difference of the Buddha, as opposed to other teachers, the Dharma as opposed to incorrect paths, and the Sangha as opposed to the communities of other traditions.  

The third, is to be fully committed to going for refuge with an attitude free from reservation, based on one's understanding of the qualities and superiority of the Three Jewels.

And the fourth is, even at the cost of one's life, never to seek any source of refuge other than the Three Jewels. 

If you possess these four attributes, then your vow of refuge will be fully authentic or genuine.

It is insufficient to merely recite the words of the vow of refuge. It is necessary that we actually entrust ourselves without reservation to the Three Jewels. If we do so, it is certain that the Three Jewels will protect us. 

Although we may experience the results in this life of our karmas or actions from previous lives, and it may cause us to wonder if the power of ability to protect us of the Three Jewels has somehow been weakened, if we persevere and continue to entrust ourselves to the Three Jewels, it is certain that we will be protected fully in future lives. 

If on the other hand, as soon as something slight goes wrong for us, we think "Oh, the Three Jewels lack compassion" or we turn elsewhere, divination, medical treatment, or so-on, these are signs of small mindedness. The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

How should one uphold one's taking refuge?

• Therefore, always recollecting the qualities of the Three Jewels, think of them with faith, and diligently pray to them. 
• Do not accumulate wrongdoing through careless gossip or denigration of others. 
• Regard all images of Buddhas bodies, speech, and minds, as well as all who wear the actual robes of the Sangha as the actual Three Jewels and treat them with respect and veneration. 
• Do not place any image of the Three Jewels on the bare ground or where they will be damaged. 
• Do not even think of selling images of the Three Jewels, or pawning them. 
• Have such respect for the Three Jewels that you do not step over even a fragment of a tsa-tsa or a single letter from a text.

Recollecting kindness, constantly engage in devooted behavior, such as prostrations, offerings, and praise; i.e articulate devotion with body, speech, and mind.

Recollecting compassion, inspire others to go for refuge, and speak to them of qualities of Three Jewels.

Recollecting benefits of doing so, go for refuge three times during each day, and three times during each night.

Recollecting the defects of doing so, even at the cost of your life, do not abandon the sources of refuge.

What does it mean when things go badly, in spite of having taken refuge?
The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

Recollecting the importance of trust, no matter what happens, whether things go well or ill, entrust yourself entirely to the Three Jewels, and never despair.


These four recollections are how you can ensure the continued protection by the three jewels throughout your life.

Having gone for refuge in the Buddha, do not rely on mundane gods.

Having gone for refuge in the Dharma, abandon all intentions and actions that are harmful to other beings.

Having gone for refuge to the Sangha, do not fall under the influence or keep company with extremists or those who are like extremists. 

When people accumulate the vow of refuge, normally people are doing prostrations. Technically, what shold be counted are refuge vows. The prostrations are not as important as the refuge vows themselves. Now, people count the prostrations and now the refuge vows. But one recitation of refuge vow should accompany each prostration. Ideally one wants to accumulate the refuge vows. 

Those who cannot do prostrations, if they accumulate 100,000 of refuge vows, this would be a proper performance of the first of the four preliminaries. I mention this so that you understand that in this first part of doing the preliminaries, i tis important to emphasize the act of going for refuge and the recitation of the refuge vow.

The feeling of going for refuge is especially important. Sometimes people put too much emphasis on creating a clear image of the sources of refuge, without having first gained any feeling or appreciation for the act of going for refuge itself. If on the other hand, we first seek an understanding of and intense feeling of going for refuge, then gradually, clarity of image or clear appearance will arise of itself. Clarity of image without appreciation and feeling will not bring same benefits.

From teaching on Torch of Certainty and commentary by Jamgon Lodro Thaye 

at 31st Kagyu Monlam