The Means

1
The Means

• Three Jewels

2
The Three Jewels

• The Three Jewels are the Buddha, Dhamma, and
  Sangha
• Also known as Three Treasures, Three Refuges, or
  the Tiratana
• The Dhamma could not have been taught without the
  Buddha, and could not have been followed without
  the Sangha, so the three are inseparable.

3

• They are known as the Three Refuges, because the
  Buddhist promise of devotion says
• I take refuge in the Buddha,
• I take refuge in the Dhamma,
• I take refuge in the Sangha.

• Taking refuge is making a promise to be devoted
  to the Buddha and his teachings.
• It is also a sign of the support structure of
  the religion a refuge is somewhere you turn for
  security and guidance

4
Trikaya

• Trikaya Three Bodies (of the Buddha)
• This is a Mahayana concept, NOT a Theravada one!
• Theravada focus on the HISTORICAL example of the
  man Siddhartha Gautama / the Buddha
• Mahayana see different aspects to him the
  historical and the supernatural / metaphysical
  side

5
Buddha - Trikaya

• Nirmanakaya Human form sent to teach humans /
  many different bodies (Siddhartha was one)
• Sambhogakaya Eternal Buddha / what gets
  embodied in human form, the future Buddha
  Maitreya, etc
• Dhammakaya Ultimate reality / Buddha nature (in
  all beings)

6
Different Interpretations of Buddha (Historical V
Trikaya)
2 Dhamma-Kaya (Truth Body) Qualities that
make up the buddha-nature / truth of reality.
3. Sambhoga-Kaya (Enjoyment Body) e.g.
Bodhisattvas
1 Nirmana-Kaya (Physical Body) Siddhartha
Gautama Buddha Shakyamuni
Mahayana
Historical Buddha Shakyamuni
TIME
Theravada
The Buddha is a historical figure ONLY a
saint. He left behind his teachings to show
the path. Theravada Buddhists rely on
themselves and the teachings only.
7
Dhamma

• Can mean teachings / truth / way / etc
• It is sometimes used to mean Buddhism
• Usually seen as Four Noble Truths and Eightfold
  Path
• Scriptures can be dhamma
• Central to Buddhism
• Like a raft to be used to reach enlightenment

8
Sangha

• Community of Buddhists
• Specifically monks
• Monks bhikkus
• Can become a monks for life, or just a short time
• Monks live by 10 Precepts and many other rules in
  Vinaya Pitaka scriptures (laity only use 5
  Precepts)
• Differences between monks and laity will differ
  depending on school of Buddhism

9
Questions

• Why are the Three Refuges important? (6 KU)
• Explain each aspect of the Trikaya (6 KU)
• What is dhamma? (4 KU)
• What is the sangha? (2 KU)
• Why are the Three Jewels important? (4 AE)