Refuge We take Refuge in the Three Jewels.

In the Bn tradition, they are the internal, external and secret Jewels. First of all, you know that all sentient beings are always following karma and thoughts, and that we always need to find real happiness, to be free from Samsara. I have already explained that Samsara means negative thoughts, negative karma, self-grasping at phenomena, anger etc that is the Path of Samsara. So we need to be free from that. How can we be free? Who is free from Samsara? Who has power? Who do we know who is free? It is the Dharma, Lama and Buddha. These are the Method, the Guide and the Showing. At first, Buddha was a normal person but then he understood how to purify his karma and get real happiness, Enlightenment. So he wrote down what he did and left it as a message for us. That is Dharma. The Lama got the message, meditated, practised and understood Buddhahood and so that his why he can explain and teach. These Three Jewels have power and it is very important to have faith, to have trust and to promise. Faith I said this morning, if you dont have faith, you dont think that your Teacher is important, it is difficult, but if you have faith then you know that what he says is important and so it is easy to follow him. That is why faith is important. Trust - trust (that the Teachings have) the power and can take us and free us from Samsara. If we trust, then it will work. Promise we promise that from the moment we take Refuge till we reach Buddhahood, we will never forget the Three Jewels. We get up and whatever we do, we remember the Three Jewels and follow the Buddha, Dharma and Master. We need to promise to do that. Then we visualize the mandala. First, visualize Tapihritsa in the centre (in front of you) and the three lineages of Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen Masters coming down to him. On the right, there are the Yidams, on the left, the Dakinis and in front there are the Protectors. The main, central figure is Tapihritsa or Shenlha kar but whatever you visualize, think of him as your Root Lama. The three Lineages bless him and the blessings come from him to you. Behind this, visualize stupas, statues and books. The Refuge Prayer goes together with prostration. You already know how to do prostration, and we do a hundred thousand. Visualize that all sentient beings are prostrating with you to the Buddha and all the deities. When your session is finished, visualize that three lights come from the Divinities white, red and blue - which you receive to your body, speech and mind and think that you are receiving blessings from the Buddhas and your Root Master. Then all the lights and Buddhas etc dissolve into the central figure which then goes through your own Central Channel into your heart. That is Refuge.

Refuge Prayer SHEN RAB LA MA KU SUM JUNG NE PAL To Shenrab Lama who is the source of the Three Bodies, DU SUM DER SHEK DROL WA YONG KYI GN To the Buddhas of the Three Times who are Protectors of all sentient beings, KU ZUK SHEL KYIN KU DUNG SUNG RAP TEN To statues, stupas and the sacred text, CHOG CHU SHEN RAB THAR LAM TN PAI DRN To the Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions who are the lights showing the path to Liberation -

NE ZHIR CHAG TSAL DRO KUN KYAB SU CHI I prostrate to these Four Objects and take Refuge in them!

There is a prayer to recite. We usually recite the prayer from Magyud. Recite it slowly three times and do prostrations, and then recite it quickly. When you prostrate, imagine that you are offering flowers etc to the Three Jewels as you lift your hands up (either start with your palms upturned or with Vajra-fists in your groin), then touch your three points and imagine you are receiving blessings. Then push down and imagine that all illnesses and negativities are going out through your feet and are absorbed by the ground.

Detail from Ngondro teachings by Ghese Gelek Jinpa Rinpoche