The more lofty aspects of the teaching often, quite fairly, attract lot of attention; their details given a lot of technical scrutiny. Though I fully understand the interest, I myself generally prefer to stay on the periphery of all that, feeling there is only so far one can fruitfully probe into deep, supra-linguistic existential truths with even the sharpest intellectual powers.
Where, however, I feel there’s a lot of scope and use for detailed intellectual exploration and study is in the fundamentals—the more every-day aspects of the teaching, that belong more (but not entirely) to the intellectual realm.
One point I’ve been quite interested in recently is the most basic detail of them all: taking refuge. Taking refuge is the absolute foundation for everything else right the way to nibbana, but what does it even mean? What is it in practice terms? How is it technically engaged with by practitioners?
Intrigued as to what the suttas have to say about it, I did the most sketchy, non-comprehensive survey of suttas containing a refuge declaration:
search terms
saraṇaṃ gacchantānaṃ; saraṇaṃ gacchantīnaṃ; saraṇaṃ gacchāmi; saraṇaṃ gatanti; saraṇaṃ gato; saraṇaṃ gacchāma; saraṇaṃ gate; saraṇaṃ gatā; saraṇaṃ gataṃ; saraṇaṃ gaccheyya; saraṇaṃ gatāni; saraṇaṃ gacchati; saraṇaṃ gatāse; saraṇaṃ gateti; saraṇaṃ gaccha; saraṇaṃ gatoti; saraṇaṃ gata = 145 results
Whizzing through it, a couple of points stood out to me, but I haven’t really formulated my impressions yet.
Results
Sutta No. | Sutta Name | Refuge ‘type’ |
---|---|---|
an1.248-257 | Foremost who have gone for refuge | |
an1.258-267 | -"- | |
an2.11-20; an2.32-41; an3.53; an3.54; an3.55; an3.56; an3.58; an3.59; an3.60; an3.63; an3.65; an3.72; an4.100; an4.111; an4.184; an4.195; an4.197; an5.192; an5.193; an5.194; an6.38; an6.47; an6.48; an6.52; an6.53; an7.47; an7.50; an8.11; an10.119; an10.167; an10.176; an10.177; an10.220; dn2; dn3; dn10; dn12; dn13; dn31; mn4; mn27; mn30; mn41; mn42; mn54; mn55; mn58; mn60; mn72; mn74; mn80; mn91; mn93; mn96; mn98; mn100; mn107; mn135; mn150; sn3.1; sn7.11; sn7.12; sn7.13; sn7.14; sn7.15; sn7.16; sn7.17; sn7.18; sn7.19; sn7.20; sn7.21; sn7.22; sn12.18; sn12.46; sn12.47; sn12.48; sn15.8; sn35.127; sn35.132; sn35.133; sn36.21; sn42.1; sn42.2; sn42.3; sn42.4; sn42.5; sn42.6; sn42.8; sn42.9; sn42.12; sn42.13; sn45.10; sn46.6; sn46.55; sn47.25; sn51.15; sn55.7 | Concludes in going for refuge for life as a lay follower: “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! As if he was righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, just so have you made the Teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” (GRLLF) | |
an3.24 | Bahukārasutta | Someone who leads a person to taking refuge is one of three of the most helpful people |
an3.79 | Gandhajātasutta | The fragrance of one who has gone for refuge and is virtuous spreads in every direction |
an4.23 | Lokasutta | Those have have gone to the Buddha for refuge revere him thus: ‘Tamed, he is the best of tamers, peaceful, he is the seer among the peaceful, liberated, he is the foremost of liberators, crossed over, he is the most excellent of guides across.’ |
an4.193 | Bhaddiyasutta | Bhaddiya goes for refuge for life as a lay follower & the Buddha stresses he did not ask for Bhaddiya to become a disciple, he did not use any magic trick to get him to convert. Bhaddiya notes that this particular ‘conversion magic’ is excellent. |
an5.32 | Cundīsutta | Princess Cundī asks the Buddha what kind of teacher, teaching and Saṅgha should a person have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place. |
an5.196 | Mahāsupinasutta | Before the Buddha’s awakening he had five great dreams. One was that white caterpillars with black heads crawled up from his feet and covered his knees and was fulfilled when many white-clothed laypeople went for refuge to him for life. |
an8.12 | Sīhasutta | Sīha, a Jain, goes to see the Buddha after thinking, “That Blessed One must certainly be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. For several very prominent Licchavis are praising the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways.” After talk with the Buddha, Sīha asks to take refuge as a lay follower, but the Buddha encourages him towards careful consideration before taking refuge. On Sīha’s third request the Buddha taught Sīha step by step to stream entry. |
an8.25 | Mahānāmasutta | Mahānāma asks the Buddha how a lay follower is defined and the Buddha replies that one who has gone for refuge in the Triple Gem is a lay follower. |
an8.26 | Jīvakasutta | Jīvaka -"- |
an8.39 | Abhisandasutta | Refuge in the Triple Gem are three of eight kinds of overflowing merit. |
an8.46 | Anuruddhasutta | Refuge in the Triple Gem are three of eight factors that will lead a woman to be reborn among the Gods of the Loveable Group. |
an8.48 | Nakulamātāsutta | -"- |
an9.20 | Velāmasutta | Taking refuge in the Triple Gem with a confident heart would be more fruitful than building a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters (or giving several gifts before that). |
dn4 | Soṇadaṇḍasutta | “Many thousands of deities have gone for refuge for life to [the Buddha]. … He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ … He has the thirty-two marks of a great man. … He is welcoming, congenial, polite, smiling, open, the first to speak. … He’s honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by the four assemblies. … Many gods and humans are devoted to him. … While he is residing in a village or town, non-human entities do not harass them. … He leads an order and a community, and teaches a community, and is said to be the best of the various religious founders. He didn’t come by his fame in the same ways as those other ascetics and brahmins. Rather, he came by his fame due to his supreme knowledge and conduct. …” King Bimbisāra, King Pasenadi and the brahmin Pokkharasāti have gone for refuge. Concludes with Soṇadaṇḍa going for refuge as a lay follower, although he explains that he cannot pay the Buddha homage in public in the normal way for the fear of loss of reputation and agrees some discrete shows of respect. |
dn5 | Kūṭadantasutta | “Many thousands -”- the brahmin Pokkharasāti have gone for refuge." Taking refuge in the Triple Gem with a confident heart has fewer requirements and yet is more beneficial than building a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters (or regular gifts as an ongoing family sacrifice, or a king’s great sacrifice accomplished with three modes and sixteen accessories before that). Kūṭadanta goes for refuge as a lay follower. |
dn8; mn7; mn73; mn75; sn7.1; sn7.2; sn7.10; sn12.17 | Mahāsīhanādasutta | Concludes in going for refuge, taking ordination and awakening (GROA) |
dn9 | Poṭṭhapādasutta | Poṭṭhapāda goes for refuge life as a lay follower. Citta Hatthisāriputta goes for refuge, takes ordination and awakens. |
dn14 | Mahāpadānasutta | An account of Khaṇḍa and Tissa taking refuge in Buddha Vipassī, ordaining and awakening. |
dn16 | Mahāparinibbānasutta | “Ānanda, be your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge. And how does a mendicant do this? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.” Three months before his death the Buddha said, “I’ve reached a ripe old age, and little of my life is left. Having given it up, I’ll depart; I’ve made a refuge for myself. Diligent and mindful, be of good virtues, mendicants! With well-settled thoughts, take good care of your minds. Whoever meditates diligently in this teaching and training, giving up transmigration through rebirths, will make an end to suffering.” Pukkusa goes for refuge life as a lay follower. Subhadda (coming from another sect) goes for refuge, takes ordination and awakens. |
dn18 | Janavasabhasutta | Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra tells that those who have gone for refuge and are virtuous are born in all variety of deva realms. At the very least they swell the hosts of the fairies. |
dn20 | Mahāsamayasutta | A deity says, “Anyone who has gone to the Buddha for refuge won’t go to a plane of loss. After giving up this human body, they swell the hosts of gods.” |
dn23 | Pāyāsisutta | The Buddha declares the names of the heavenly hosts to a gathering of mednicants and deities, “… But the dragon kings remained fearless, for the Buddha kept them safe from the phoenixes. Introducing each other with gentle words, the dragons and phoenixes took the Buddha as their refuge …” |
mn56 | Upālisutta | After talk with the Buddha, Upāli asks to take refuge as a lay follower, but the Buddha encourages him towards careful consideration before taking refuge. On Upāli’s third request the Buddha taught Upāli step by step to stream entry. Upāli delivers verses of reverence towards the Buddha in front of Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta. |
mn57 | Kukkuravatikasutta | Puṇṇa Koliyaputta GRLLF, Seniya GROA |
mn79 | Cūḷasakuludāyisutta | Sakuludāyī asks for refuge and for ordination, but his assembly prevent him from doing so saying, “You have been a teacher; don’t live as a student.” |
mn81 | Ghaṭikārasutta | An account from the time of Buddha Kassapa: "‘Great king, there is a market town named Vebhaliṅga, where there’s a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. He is my chief attendant. Now, great king, you thought, “The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Benares,” and you became sad and upset. But Ghaṭīkāra doesn’t get upset, nor will he. Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. He doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or take alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. He has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and has the ethics loved by the noble ones. He is free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. He eats in one part of the day; he’s celibate, ethical, and of good character. He has set aside gems and gold, and rejected gold and money. He’s put down the shovel and doesn’t dig the earth with his own hands. He takes what has crumbled off by a riverbank or been dug up by mice, and brings it back in a carrier. When he has made a pot, he says: “Anyone may leave bagged sesame, mung beans, or chick peas here and take what they wish.” He looks after his blind old parents. And since he has ended the five lower fetters, Ghaṭīkāra will be reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.’ " |
mn84 | Madhurasutta | King Avantiputta seeks to take refuge in Master Kaccāna, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha, but Mahākaccāna tells he should take refuge in the Buddha. “Master Kaccāna, if I heard that the Buddha was within ten leagues, or twenty, or even up to a hundred leagues away, I’d go a hundred leagues to see him. But since the Buddha has become fully extinguished, I go for refuge to that fully extinguished Buddha, to the teaching, and to the Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Kaccāna remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” |
mn85 | Bodhirājakumārasutta | Prince Bodhi is confronted: “Though Master Bodhi [says, ‘Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the teaching! Oh, how well explained is the teaching! For someone could be instructed in the evening and achieve distinction in the morning, or be instructed in the morning and achieve distinction in the evening.’], you don’t go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.” Prince Bodhi replies that his mother took for refuge on his behalf when he was in the womb, as did a nurse when he was a child and now also he GRLLF. (having attained stream entry). He dies is reborn spontaneously and will reach nibbana from there. |
mn94 | Ghoṭamukhasutta | Ghoṭamukha seeks to take refuge in Master Udena…[as MN 84] |
mn95 | Caṅkīsutta | “Many thousands of deities have gone for refuge as DN4 the brahmin Pokkharasāti have gone for refuge”. Concludes with a list of factors (in decending order of dependence) that help one awaken to truth: striving, scrutiny, making an effort, enthusiasm, acceptance of the teachings after consideration, reflecting on the meaning of the teachings, remembering the teachings, hearing the teachings, listening, paying homage, approaching a teacher, faith. After this Caṅkī says, “I’ve asked Master Gotama about the preservation of truth, and he has answered me. I approve and accept this, and am satisfied with it. I’ve asked Master Gotama about awakening to the truth, and he has answered me. I approve and accept this, and am satisfied with it. I’ve asked Master Gotama about the arrival at the truth, and he has answered me. I approve and accept this, and am satisfied with it. I’ve asked Master Gotama about the things that are helpful for the arrival at the truth, and he has answered me. I approve and accept this, and am satisfied with it. Whatever I have asked Master Gotama about he has answered me. I approve and accept this, and am satisfied with it. Master Gotama, I used to think this: ‘Who are these shavelings, fake ascetics, riffraff, black spawn from the feet of our Kinsman to be counted alongside those who understand the teaching?’ The Buddha has inspired me to have love, confidence, and respect for ascetics!” and GRLLF. |
mn99 | Subhasutta | Subha GRLLF. Afterwards he meets the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi who asks, “What do you think of the ascetic Gotama’s proficiency in wisdom? Do you think he’s astute?” Subha replies, “My good man, who am I to judge the ascetic Gotama’s competence in wisdom? You’d really have to be on the same level to judge his competence in wisdom.” |
mn142 | Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta | “When someone has enabled you to go for refuge, it’s not easy to repay them by bowing down to them, rising up for them, greeting them with joined palms, and observing proper etiquette for them; or by providing them with robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.” |
sn1.37 | Samayasutta | A deity says: “Anyone who has gone to the Buddha for refuge, won’t go to a plane of loss. After giving up this human body, they swell the hosts of gods.” |
sn2.9 | Candimasutta | The Moon God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of demons. Then the Moon God, recolleced the Buddha, saying, “Homage to you, Buddha, hero! You’re freed in every way. I’ve wandered into confinement: be my refuge!” Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Moon God: “The Moon God has gone for refuge to the Realized One, the perfected one. Rāhu, release the Moon! Buddhas have compassion for the world!” |
sn2.10 | Sūriyasutta | The Sun God -"- in the presence of Master Bhāradvāja in the presence of Master Kaccāna in the presence of Venerable Udāyī |
sn42.7 | Khettūpamasutta | Asibandhaka’s son asks the Buddha why he teaches thoroughly to some, but not to others. The Buddha give an analogy to a farmer planting seeds good, average and poor fields: “To me, the monks and nuns are like the good field. I teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. Why is that? Because they live with me as their island, protection, shelter, and refuge. To me, the laymen and laywomen are like the average field. I also teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. Why is that? Because they live with me as their island, protection, shelter, and refuge. To me, the ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who follow other paths are like the poor field, the bad ground of sand and salt. I also teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. Why is that? Hopefully they might understand even a single sentence, which would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.” Asibandhaka’s son GRLLF. in the presence of Master Ānanda |
sn55.24 | Paṭhamasaraṇānisakkasutta | Sarakāni the Sakyan passes away and the Buddha declares he was a stream-enterer. The locals complain and wonder the even someone so weak for the training and who used to drink alcohol could be declared a stream-enterer. The Buddha explains, “when a lay follower has for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, how could they go to the underworld? And if anyone should rightly be said to have for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, it’s Sarakāni the Sakyan. Sarakāni the Sakyan has for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. How could he go to the underworld?”. He goes on to list various kinds of followers of various attainments and notes they are exempt from rebirth in the underworld, concluding, “If these great sal trees could understand what was well said and poorly said, I’d declare them to be stream-enterers. Why can’t this apply to Sarakāni? Mahānāma, Sarakāni the Sakyan undertook the training at the time of his death.” |
sn55.25 | Dutiyasaraṇānisakkasutta | [similar to above with variations] |
sn55.37 | Mahānāmasutta | “Sir, how is a lay follower defined?” “Mahānāma, when you’ve gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, you’re considered to be a lay follower.” … “But how is a faithful lay follower defined?” “It’s when a lay follower has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ Then they’re considered to be a faithful lay follower.” |