The Three Jewels are the three things Buddhists take refuge in. They are called "jewels" because they are rare, precious, and valuable to the one who has them. Each one supports the other two.
1. The Buddha
Who or what: The awakened teacher. At the most basic level this is Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), who discovered the path out of suffering and taught it. More broadly, it points to the possibility of awakening itself.
What it offers: A living proof that liberation is achievable by a human being. Think of the Buddha as the doctor who diagnosed the illness and prescribed the cure.
In Mahayana: The Buddha also includes Buddha-nature, the awakened potential present in all beings, and in many schools other buddhas such as Amitabha.
2. The Dharma
Who or what: The teachings: the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and everything the Buddha taught about how things really are. In a deeper sense, Dharma means the truth or reality those teachings point to, and the path of practice that leads there.
What it offers: The actual medicine. Many teachers call the Dharma the heart of the three, since the Buddha is the discoverer and the Sangha the people who live it, but the Dharma is what does the healing.
3. The Sangha
- The noble Sangha: those who have directly realized the teachings, whether monastic or lay
- The conventional Sangha: the community of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners who study and practice together
What it offers: Companions, teachers, and examples. Practice is hard to sustain alone, and the Sangha provides guidance, encouragement, and correction. This also connects to the earlier point about needing a trustworthy teacher.
A Simple Analogy
- The Buddha is the doctor who found the cure
- The Dharma is the medicine
- The Sangha is the nurses and fellow patients who help you take it and recover
Why They Are Called Refuge
Taking refuge means relying on these three as your guide and protection, in the way a traveler relies on a map, a guide, and companions on a difficult journey. The formula you saw in the Theravada ceremony, Buddham saranam gacchami, Dhammam saranam gacchami, Sangham saranam gacchami, names them in this order.
Different Emphases Across Traditions
| Tradition | Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Theravada | Historical Buddha, the Buddha's discourses, the noble and monastic Sangha |
| Mahayana | Adds Buddha-nature, many buddhas and bodhisattvas, and the whole community of bodhisattvas |
| Vajrayana (Tibetan) | Adds the Three Roots: the guru, the deity, and the protectors, as inner expressions of the Three Jewels |