I've never been to a sangha that offered refuge vows. That hasn't stopped me from practicing and learning.
http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/chan_garden/chan_garden2.aspx?sn=40In the West, many people are increasingly attracted to Buddhism, even though they have not participated in the formal ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. They fear taking refuge will bind them to the institution of Buddhism, so they maintain a window-shopping attitude. Or perhaps they view taking refuge as analogous to rushing into marriage without sufficient knowledge of the future spouse and worry that personalities may clash, interests differ, and divorce ensue.But taking refuge in the Three Jewels is completely different from marriage! It is about committing one's life towards a path to awakening, which is, in fact, freeing not binding. It is a relationship that includes all sentient beings, not just two people. If we realize that the Buddhist teaching is beneficial or meaningful in our lives, then the next step is to take refuge in the Three Jewels. When we become Buddhists, we commit ourselves to bringing genuine liberation to ourselves and to everyone around us. This is the Buddhist path.Trying to learn Buddhism without taking refuge is to be a bystander and not a participant. If we feel constrained by taking refuge, then Buddhism is no path to liberation. It may happen that you ultimately embrace a set of principles or develop a line of reasoning that leads you away from the teachings.Those who believe that having a pure, sincere heart is enough to qualify them as Buddhist practitioners and who see no need to go through the formal refuge ceremony, are not really Buddhists. If you want to get an education, you must first register and then proceed through elementary, middle, and high school until you reach college—perhaps reaching as far as a Ph.D. It is impossible to progress in one's education without taking these successive steps.Similarly, self-proclaimed Buddhists are not real Buddhists. They are like people who are fond of another country, emigrate there, pretend to be citizens, but never apply for citizenship. Those who refrain from taking refuge, but insist upon calling themselves Buddhists, may glean some benefit from the teachings, but the essence of Buddhism will always elude him. Taking refuge is a required process, not an option. The sutras or Buddhist scriptures tell us that even people who perform good deeds will not be able to eradicate bad karma unless they take refuge in the Three Jewels.Some people believe that their comprehension of the Buddhist sutras, which they take to be one and the same as the Dharma, is sufficient to enable them to advance directly to full enlightenment. They see no need to practice meditation or receive the Three Refuges. While this may have its appeal, it is a serious mistake.The Buddhist sutras were taught by the Buddha and his disciples, and later collected and written down by members of the Sangha. Concentrating on these texts only yields a limited understanding of the Dharma Jewel. This would lead us to disregard the Buddha, who gave these teachings, and the Sangha, who spread the Dharma. Buddhism stresses the Dharma—the path which leads to the ending of suffering—only in conjunction with the Buddha and the Sangha. The three are inseparable. It is true that taking refuge requires investigation of the Buddha's teachings, but it also necessitates participation in the refuge ceremony, which must be conducted by a precept master, who is usually a member of the Sangha. This confers the formal recognition that you are a Buddhist.Precept masters also began their practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Each consecutive precept master represents the continuity of the transmission of the Dharma. No one can take refuge without a master; you cannot do it by yourself. In this sense, the ceremony is a testimony to the unity of the Three Jewels. In taking refuge in the Three Jewels, we recognize the Buddha for discovering the Dharma and our own Buddha within—our potential to liberation. We also recognize the transmitters of Dharma, the Sangha members throughout the ages. Through them we realize the Dharma.
7Facing a painted image of the Perfect Buddha, Or in front of holy reliquaries and the like, Give worship with flowers and incense And whatever objects may be at hand. 8Then with the Sevenfold Worship expressed In the Deeds of Samantabhadra, And a mind that does not turn back until The Heart of Enlightenment is reached, 9With great faith in the Three Jewels, Bending knee to the ground, And folding the hands First take the Three Refuges thrice. 10Then, because the Thought of Love for All creatures is the prerequisite, One looks out on all the world, Suffering in death, transmigration, And rebirth in the three bad destinies: 11At sight of that suffering, one suffers; And he who wants to free the world From the very cause of such suffering, Must beget this Thought of Enlightenment That is pledged never to turn back.
Also these:Different Levels of the Three Jewels http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/chan_garden/chan_garden3.aspx?sn=32How to Take Refuge in the Three Jewels http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/chan_garden/chan_garden3.aspx?sn=33The Benefits to Taking Refuge http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/chan_garden/chan_garden3.aspx?sn=34
Master Hua on The True Meaning of Taking Refuge:http://dharmaflower.net/_collection/3g-hsuhua.pdf
Those who have taken refuge before should not take refuge again. Why not?1. This is to avoid the situation in Buddhism where people compete for disciples and harbor bad feelings toward one another. Because they compete for profit, people get very resentful and antagonistic. 2. If the people who take refuge are all people who have taken refuge before. Buddhism will not have any new blood. Buddhists who go "temple-hopping" can hardly be considered disciples of the Buddha. 3. I don't even have enough virtue to be able to accept as disciples those beginners who are taking refuge with the Triple Jewel for the first time, how much the less those who have already taken refuge. However, if someone who has already taken refuge has permission from his original teacher, or if his teacher has passed away, disappeared, or returned to lay-life, then I will accept him.Each of you must be a true Buddhist. Don't be muddled in your practice of Buddhism. What's the point of taking refuge with so many teachers, if you don't have real faith in any of them? Use your Dharma-Selecting Vision. Don't just follow along blindly. Buddhists should not look for bargains. They should take more losses and not act exclusively in their own interests. The world is getting worse and worse because people are only concerned about themselves. Driven by desire for profit, people are constantly at each other's throats.
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Topic: Taking Refuge: The way to become a Buddhist. (Read 1088 times)
