Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

These are called the Three Jewels of Buddhism, and each precious jewel permeates throughout every one of the Buddhist schools. It is because of their exceptional value within the Buddhist religion that they get their metaphorical naming, some might call them the three "gems" of Buddhism instead. They are seen as quintessential identifying elements that anyone seriously wanting to seek this way of being, to cultivate this grade of understanding, or that wants to develop true Buddhist insight is recommended to emulate.

In short, they are to be thought of as: the Buddha being the doctor or the teacher, the Dharma being the medicine or the teaching, and the Sangha being a kind nurse, or the classmates surrounding you. As Reverend Dr. Nancy Ash puts it, "Imagine the Buddha as an amazingly effective, intuitive doctor of complementary and alternative medicine. The Dharma is the perfect medicine that cures root causes, and the Sangha is like a loving supportive nurse who assists us in taking our medicine."

The Buddha part of this could be interpreted in different ways, though it's primarily not meant to represent bowing to the historical Buddha as a god-like figure, but to inspire the development of a Buddha-like attitude within yourself. Buddha means "Awakened One" and the root word within Buddha is "budh," which means to open your eyes, to wake up, or to have woken up to reality. This term isn't simply a term given to the historical Buddha, (Siddhartha Gautama) but is meant to encompass a certain level of awakening within ourselves as well. It describes both Siddhartha Gautama, and this inherent nature to become Buddha-esque within every person. This jewel of knowledge and insight is intended to realign a person with the profound alertness that this nature exists within them.

In terms of how to bring the greatest form of that nature to light, this where the Dharma jewel in Buddhism comes into play. The word Dharma holds different meanings in both Hinduism and Buddhism, and based on my understanding and all of my research, it means in this instance: all of the teachings of the Buddha, the truth the Buddha understood, reality, your understanding of it, your virtues, and ethics.

To express this to others and to reiterate it within themselves, every one of the three jewels are said akin to vows when a person decides to enter a certain level of Buddhist study. Thich Nhat Hanh records in the book The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching one version of the Dharma vow, that I feel is particularly potently stated:

Going back, taking refuge in the Dharma in myself,

I vow, together with all beings, to realize understanding and

wisdom as immense as the ocean.

To take refuge in the Dharma jewel, a person is essentially deciding to try out this way of life in which Buddhist teachings, and a true deep understanding of them grown over time, promise to act as a means of self-medication to the user; to end their mental suffering. I believe the idea here is that if someone were attempting to really cultivate the essence of Buddhist philosophies and try trek toward their own version of enlightenment, if they abide by an honest pursuit of understanding wholeheartedly, and with the right intentions: then Buddhism gives them all of the tools necessary to get to a grander insight about the nature of reality, and the amount of available bliss.

It is my understanding, that if a person were to choose to not truthfully acknowledge the essentialness of the Dharma or pursue their own understanding of it, that's fine, but their access to those tools will be limited, considering that: "..Buddhism is not an abstract philosophy or creed; it is a way of approaching life and therefore it only has any meaning when it is embodied in people." (The Buddhist Centre) The Dharma concept in Buddhism, to me, seems like the main point of studying Buddhism that a student of Buddhism should try to grasp. "Despite the wealth of its literature, the essence of Buddhism is very simple: it is finding ways to transform oneself. It could be summed up as ‘learning to do good; ceasing to do evil; purifying the heart’ as The Dhammapada says." (The Buddhist Centre) It is in this way, simply stated, that the Dharma "gem" is acting as a medicine for the soul, and how it inter-relates with the ideal that Buddhists possess of becoming a Buddha.

If someone were officially trying to take on this large of an undertaking, some support would probably be best. This is why the concept of having a community in Buddhism is so important. In Buddhism, the community is called the Sangha. It is similar to having classmates in the classroom with you, and the persons that make up the Sangha are the mentors and peers that are there to support you, and to in return be supported by you.

The importance of Sangha cannot be overestimated. Trying to achieve enlightenment by yourself and only for yourself is like trying to walk uphill during a mudslide. Opening yourself to others, supporting and being supported, is critical to loosening the fetters of ego and selfishness. (Barbara O'Brien)

By taking these vows, honoring, and understanding the jewels: a Buddhist is giving this way of life their best chance. They are re-emphasizing to themselves, and to others that they are fully giving their commitment to the belief that looking at life in this way can cease their mental anguish. Finally, as put in The Heart Sutra:

Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, the teacher, the teaching, and the community of those taught. This is all that is urged of anyone who travels the Buddhist path. [Taking refuge in the Buddha, we learn to transform anger into compassion; taking refuge in the Dharma, we learn to transform delusion into wisdom; and taking refuge in the Sangha, we learn to transform desire into generosity.]

Sarah

Works Cited

Ash, Reverend Dr. Nancy. "Basic Beliefs of Buddhism: The Three Jewels." Doing a 360. The Rev. Dr. Nancy Ash, 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

"Definition of 'Buddha'." Buddha Foundation. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

O'Brien, Barbara. "The Three Jewels" The Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

Pine, Red. The Heart Sutra. Berkeley: Counterpoint Press, 2004. Print.

"Three Jewels." The Buddhist Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

Thurman, Robert. "The Three Jewels of Buddhism." Belief Net. Beliefnet, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

"What are the Three Jewels of Buddhism?" Ygoy. N.p., 2010-2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.