http://www.makepovertyhistory.org Usina de Pensamentos: The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha

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quarta-feira, 6 de outubro de 2004

The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha

The goal of the Buddha's teachings is freedom - freedom from the bondage of passions, freedom from the distress we inflict upon ourselves through our ignorance, and ultimately, freedom from the rounds of birth and death - Nirvana. Like the dazzling peak of a snow­capped mountain that we can see in the distance but not yet touch, the freedom of Nirvana lies at the end of a path, the Noble Eightfold Path. But the path is a long one, sometimes smooth and sometimes rough, with many twists and turns, and if we are to walk it with steady steps and without being sidetracked, we will need help. To the Buddhist this help comes in the form of the Three Refuges - the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.

The Buddha is a refuge because his life and attainments remain living proof that Enlightenment is possible, that human perfection is the true purpose of life. He is the supreme archetype for all who quest for spiritual maturity. Reflecting on the Buddha's life and example fills us with the enthusiasm needed to walk the Path. The Dhamma, the Buddha's teachings, are a refuge because they provide us with a realistic and complete description of reality as well as advice on ethics, social relationships, meditation and almost every other aspect of life. The Sangha is the fellowship of the Buddha's disciples, past and present, enlightened or unenlightened, bound together by their common commitment to attaining what the Buddha attained. The Sangha is a refuge because those who have preceded us on the Path can give advice on the journey ahead, while those who walk with us can provide companionship on the journey, bring us back to the Path when we deviate, and help us when we stumble and fall.

While the Buddha realized the Dhamma and then proclaimed it, the Sangha aspires to become like the Buddha by practising that Dhamma. Thus we can say that the Dhamma is pre-eminent among the Three Refuges. The Buddha himself said he lived dependent on Dhamma, honouring Dhamma, respectful and deferential to Dhamma, with Dhamma as a banner, with Dhamma as a standard, with Dhamma as overlord.

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