The True Meaning of Taking the Threefold Refuge

Triple Refuge Vow: 我皈依佛竟，宁舍身命，终不皈依自在天魔等；皈依如来，至真等正觉，是我所尊，慈愍故。我皈依法竟，宁舍身命，终不皈依外道典籍；皈依如来所说三藏十二部一切经典，是我所尊，慈愍故。我皈依僧竟，宁舍身命，终不皈依外道邪众；皈依清净福田僧，是我所尊，慈愍故。

After taking the Triple Refuge, why is the above vow still necessary? Because only after one has sincerely made the vow can one truly accomplish the Triple Refuge—not taking refuge in the assemblies of non-Buddhist paths or their dharmas, and not entering into them. The non-Buddhist paths are not the Buddha's path. Although some of their methods are useful for the five-aggregate physical body, they cannot liberate the physical body and the five aggregates; they are not the ultimate dharma, not a path that leads to liberation. If one becomes infatuated with them and strays onto a wrong path, it will only obstruct one's own cultivation. Therefore one must vow not to follow Īśvara Māra, not to study the scriptures of the non-Buddhist paths, and not to follow their deviant assemblies. In this, one needs the power of wisdom to distinguish the Māra assemblies of the non-Buddhist paths and their dharmas; if one cannot discern the true from the false, it will be very difficult to genuinely accomplish the Triple Refuge.

Nowadays many Buddhist learners study texts other than the Buddhist sutras. According to the instructions and stipulations of the Triple Refuge, is their refuge then incomplete? Only the dharma principles in the Buddhadharma and Buddhist sutras can liberate sentient beings. If the non-Buddhist dharmas outside the Buddhadharma could also liberate sentient beings, would it not have been meaningless for the Buddha to come to the Sahā world to save them? None of the non-Buddhist dharmas are ultimate. No matter how miraculous a level they cultivate to, they cannot liberate one from the suffering of birth-and-death and saṃsāra. That is why, in the end, they all took refuge in the Buddha and the Three Jewels and thereby attained liberation. Yet now we, on the contrary, honor the non-Buddhist dharmas—is this not somewhat inverted?

After receiving the bodhisattva precepts, studying non-Buddhist dharmas is even more a violation of the precepts. The Buddha does not allow bodhisattvas to waste time and energy on unprofitable pursuits—except for bodhisattvas who have attained the bhūmis, who may study non-Buddhist dharmas in order to liberate those on non-Buddhist paths, and thereby refute the non-Buddhist dharmas and lead their followers onto the Buddha's path. Only bodhisattvas who have attained the bhūmis can fully comprehend the content of non-Buddhist dharmas without being deceived or misled. That is why the Buddha permits bodhisattvas on the bhūmis to read non-Buddhist theories and to expound and refute their non-ultimate points, so as to ferry non-Buddhist disciples over to take refuge in the Three Jewels and seek liberation. Bodhisattvas who have awakened to the true mind but not yet attained the bhūmis do not yet fully have the ability to recognize the flaws in non-Buddhist dharmas and cannot refute them. Therefore the Buddha does not allow bodhisattvas who have awakened to the true mind, nor ordinary Buddhist disciples, to study non-Buddhist dharmas.

Of course, within the non-Buddhist dharmas there is a certain amount of wholesome dharma—some methods beneficial for maintaining the physical body, and some content concerning understanding the mundane world and improving moral character. Such content is of great benefit for being a good person, and we need only take these benefits. At the same time, we must also know that all such content is non-ultimate and is to be refuted. So temporarily studying and absorbing it is acceptable; the most important thing is to follow good spiritual teachers within Buddhism and single-mindedly study the Buddhadharma. The Buddhadharma transcends the wholesome dharmas of the non-Buddhist paths and transcends their marvels; the great supernatural powers and abilities of the noble sages are even more extraordinary. But all of these are by-products of cultivation. As long as one diligently cultivates the path, all dharmas will be fulfilled in due course. The only fear is taking the non-ultimate aspects of non-Buddhist dharmas as one's refuge, and thereby being bound instead, unable to attain liberation—that would be a pity.