Three of the Lojong slogans refer to two Buddhist vows one might take, the refuge and bodhisattva vows. Slogan 32 invites us to always abide by the three basic principles, one of which is the vows you have taken. Slogan 38 is a reminder to pay heed that the three never wane; one of the three is commitment to the refuge and bodhisattva vows. Finally, Slogan 45 leaves us with no doubt about the importance of keeping these vows when it says observe these two, even at the risk of your life.
I took the refuge vow in December of 2010 and the bodhisattva vow in the spring of 2011. Since then, my commitment to keeping these vows has waxed and waned. Sometimes I have nearly forgotten about them, although I do have a tattoo on my arm that is a helpful reminder of these vows I have taken.
Since the beginning of this year I have discovered a renewed interest in really working with these vows and committing to bringing them to life every day. The main influence in this renewed practice has been the book Reflections on Silver River, a translation with commentary by Ken McLeod of Tokmé Zongpo’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva. Similar to the Lojong teachings, this text is organized into thirty-seven verses about various topics.
Verse number seven is about taking refuge:
“Locked up in the prison of their own patterning
Ordinary gods cannot protect anyone
Where, then, do you go for refuge?
Go for refuge in what is reliable, the Three Jewels – this is the practice of a bodhisattva.”
Taking refuge in the three jewels or simply taking refuge is initially the way one enters the path of Buddhism and becomes a Buddhist within a particular lineage. From then on, refuge becomes an ongoing practice. As the verse above describes, it is important to pay attention to WHAT I take refuge in. Is it entertainment? Food? Alcohol? Drugs? From the Buddhist point of view, the only reliable place to go for refuge is the Three Jewels: buddha (an example of someone who awakened), dharma (the teachings and practices leading to awakening) and sangha (the community of fellow practitioners on the path of awakening).
In his commentary on this verse, Ken McLeod expands on this basic understanding (emphasis added):
“To look at it from another perspective, refuge is about how you relate to the experience of life itself. When you stop looking outside or inside for something to free you from your struggles, you take refuge in direct awareness. That is buddha. When awareness and experience are not different, you stop struggling with what arises and you are taking refuge in clarity. That is dharma. And when you experience life without grasping, opposing or ignoring what arises, you take refuge in unrestricted experience. That is sangha.”
The more I read and considered this commentary, the more inspired I became. I find it much more relatable to consider refuge as a way to relate to the experience of life itself through direct awareness, clarity and unrestricted experience than simply in buddha, dharma and sangha. I now include the following aspiration in my morning practice, right before I take refuge in the Three Jewels:
- May I take refuge in the Three Jewels as a means of relating with the experience of life itself.
- May I stop looking inside or outside for something to free me from my struggles, thus taking refuge in direct awareness or buddha.
- May I see that awareness and experience are not different and stop struggling with what arises, thus taking refuge in clarity or dharma.
- And may I experience life without grasping, resisting or ignoring what arises, thus taking refuge in unrestricted experience or sangha.
I find that adding this aspiration to my daily practice resonates throughout the day, inspiring me to just let whatever I experience be just what’s going on, free from grasping, resisting or ignoring.