Episode 129 - Ultimate Refuge

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we look at the meaning of</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">going for refuge</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Typically when we think of refuge, it means a source of protection. Refuge is comfort and safety in the storm. The way a person becomes a Buddhist is by going for refuge to the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Someone enters into Buddhism by seeking a solution to their pain or problems in the Dharma, or the teachings. The refuge we speak of is actually the experience of finding a solution to our suffering through the practice of a teaching. The other two Jewels of Refuge are Buddha--the source of the teachings--and Sangha, the spiritual community that supports our practice. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have been seeking temporary refuge since we first cried in pain or hunger. The first thing we turned to for refuge was our mother. When we were suffering and could not yet speak, she tried to discover the source of our pain and solve it for us. Since then, we have adopted so many sources of refuge. Some things we have come to turn to in an effort to alleviate our pain may even cause us more confusion and pain. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can distinguish between temporary refuge and ultimate refuge. Ultimate refuge meets certain criteria:</span></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">It doesn’t cause any unwanted side effects or more problems</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">It makes us feel peaceful </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">It predictably makes us feel peaceful everytime we turn to it</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">It addresses the real cause of the problem</span></li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can check whether something is temporar