Why We Take Refuge

(Opposite) Shakyamuni Buddha–Jataka (detail) Tibet, 1700–1799 Collection of Rubin Museum of Art (acc.# P1996.12.6) Why We Take Refuge There are two kinds of refuge, says Mingyur Rinpoche— outer and inner. We take refuge in the outer forms of enlightenment so that we may find the buddha within. veryone takes refuge in something. Often We live with a sense of lack that we long to it’s in relationships, locations, or activi- fill. The monkey mind habitually tries to merge Eties that offer the body or mind a sense with something—particularly another person— of security and protection. Even neurotic or in order to alleviate our pervasive sense of insuf- unhealthy habits—like eating too much choco- ficiency. Yet samsaric refuges are inherently late or giggling compulsively—can function as a impermanent, and if we rely on permanence protective shield to ward off feelings of anxiety where none exists in the first place, then feelings or vulnerability. of betrayal and anger compound the loss. Ask yourself, “Where do I look for happi- Emotions can also become refuges. Respond- ness? Where do I seek security and comfort?” In ing with anger and self-righteousness and love, in social status, or in the stock market? Our looking for something to blame can become a car may break down, our company may declare habitual place to hide. If anger reassures your bankruptcy, or our partner may walk out. Our identity, you may return to that state for shelter, perfect health will surely deteriorate and a loved the same way someone else returns to their home. one will surely die. The stock market goes up Perhaps your habit is to become overwhelmed and down; reputations go up and down; health, by confusion and to ask others to come to your wealth, and relationships—all these samsaric ref- rescue. Chronic helplessness can be a refuge, a uges go up and down. When we place our trust way of pulling back from the world and from in them, our mind goes up and down like flags your responsibilities. Before taking refuge in flapping in the wind. the three jewels, it’s helpful to know the refuges One Frenchman told me that his own Tibetan you already depend on, because this examina- teacher had discouraged students from ordina- tion might really inspire you to turn in another tion. This really surprised me. He explained that direction. his teacher had said, “Most Westerners who put Taking refuge doesn’t protect us from prob- on Buddhist robes take refuge in their robes, not lems in the world. It doesn’t shield us from war, in the Buddha, dharma, and sangha.” I assured famine, illness, accidents, and other difficulties. him that this was not limited to the West. Rather, it provides tools to transform obstacles SUMMER 2014 BUDDHADHARMA: THE PRACTITIONER’S QUARTERLY 47 into opportunities. We learn how to relate to our unhappiness is off balance, that it’s not our difficulties in a new way, and this protects us true self, and that it can be alleviated. Our bud- from confusion and despair. Traffic jams do not dhanature does that. It’s like an internal compass disappear, but we might not respond by leaning that keeps our direction set toward contentment, on our horns or swearing. Illnesses may afflict no matter how much anguish or pain we endure. us, but we might still greet the day with a joyful Some people interpret buddhanature as a appreciation for being alive. Eventually we rely kind of object. It almost takes on the quality on the best parts of our being in order to protect of material matter, and our metaphors might ourselves from those neurotic tendencies that cre- contribute to this misunderstanding. When we ate dissatisfaction. This allows for living in the speak of buddhanature as a diamond or as an world with greater ease and without needing to internal compass, it might sound like a physical withdraw into untrustworthy circumstances in organ, such as the heart or lungs. But it’s not like order to feel protected. that. It’s more like mustard oil that thoroughly suffuses every particle of a mustard seed, but Outer and Inner Refuges becomes evident only when the seed is pressed We work with two kinds of refuge: outer and and the coarse matter eliminated. The oil was inner. With outer or relative refuge, we see the never separate from the seed, nor did it occupy Buddha, dharma, and sangha as being outside a specific location within the seed. We obtain oil of ourselves. This duality definitely offers more through refinement, or we might say through reliability than conventional refuges, but with purification, yet what we get was always there. limited benefits. As long as the Buddha is some- where other than in our own heart and mind, we In the Buddha, the Dharma, and won’t see the true buddha—the empty clarity of the Sangha, I Take Refuge our own pure awareness. The inner refuge helps Taking refuge in the three jewels expresses the us make the leap from the buddha outside to the most fundamental connection to Buddhism. buddha inside. Having confronted the limitations of samsara, With inner or absolute refuge, the duality we are ready for a change. We cannot renounce between outer and inner dissolves. Ultimately we the temptations of samsara all at once, but this rely on ourselves, on our own buddhanature, and vow helps steady our intentions. It reminds us of on our own awakened qualities. Purification is what is true, both in the world and in ourselves. the process of making these qualities more acces- sible so we can integrate them with our daily Taking Refuge in the Buddha life. With practice, we recognize in ourselves the The outer meaning of taking refuge in the Bud- very buddha in whom we take refuge. This is the dha refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, the histori- essence of practice. cal Buddha who lived in India. We call him the Wanting to take refuge is itself an indication of awakened one, the one who has gone beyond YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE buddhanature. We take refuge to be happier, to be all dualities and concepts, beyond all forms is a meditation master free from suffering, and to feel more secure and of confusion and suffering. His enlightenment in the Karma Kagyu and stable. Why do we say that this wish itself reflects and his teachings continue to inform all Bud- Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and is currently buddhanature? Because we never accept suffering dhist schools and practices. Yet in whom did practicing as a wandering as the normal or natural human condition. What- the Buddha himself take refuge? We know that monk in India. This teaching ever the degree of our unhappiness, this longing the Buddha’s father, King Suddhodana, sought is adapted from his new arises to be free of it. Where does this longing protection in political power and social stand- book, Turning Confusion into come from? How can we account for our deep ing. We know that the king’s attempts to keep Clarity, by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche with Helen Tworkov, sense that liberation from dukkha is possible? his son bound to the householder life through forthcoming from Snow Lion The answer is our own intrinsic wisdom. Noth- sensory enticements did not work. Slipping past in July. ing else explains why we intuitively know that the palace guards, Siddhartha embarked on the DAHL CORTLAND 48 BUDDHADHARMA: THE PRACTITIONER’S QUARTERLY SUMMER 2014 Emotions can also become refuges, a habitual place to hide. If anger reassures your identity, you may return to that state for shelter, the same way someone else returns to their home. life of a seeker, taking refuge in forests and caves, Boundless Wisdom and with teachers who had mastered the prac- Boundless wisdom has two aspects: relative and tices of asceticism. But just as he had rejected absolute. Absolute wisdom means the direct his father’s path, after six years he rejected the realization of the empty, illusory nature of all austerities, as well as the rituals of the ruling phenomena. Relative wisdom reminds us that Brahman priesthood. When Siddhartha sat down the Buddha is not just “spacing out” in nirvana under the bodhi tree, he took refuge in himself. and thinking, “Everything is wonderful, no one Relying on instinct as well as years of training is suffering, there is no work for me to do.” Rela- and experience, he abandoned every orthodoxy, tive wisdom means that the Buddha knows our determined to liberate his mind from the very relative reality; he knows our suffering, our neu- roots of suffering. roses and delusions, our confusions, concepts, It’s important to use this model of self-reli- and impure perceptions. The word boundless ance—and it’s important not to misuse it. We here means there is nothing beyond a buddha’s cannot dismiss the Buddha’s teachings in the perception. name of creative autonomy, and we cannot just Boundless Love and Compassion follow the Buddha like a baby duckling follows This is like the immeasurable love that a mother its mother. We neither discard genuine faith nor has for her only child. She loves the child more indulge in blind faith. But we draw on the ordi- than she loves herself. It is limitless love. We nary human habit of placing trust in exceptional are like the Buddha’s child. Love and compas- sources and use the Buddha—his teachings and sion can be limited by concepts; immeasurable, example—to inspire us. boundless love exists beyond concepts.

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