Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namo Sanghaya

The Three Jewels

"Namo" in Sanskrit means "homage" or "I pay homage."

Therefore, "Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namo Sanghaya" is a way of showing respect to the Three Jewels and taking refuge in them.

​Despite the differences between the various branches of Buddhism, the same three fundamental pillars, known as the Three Jewels, always remain:

• The Buddha (who attained liberation or awakening)
• The Dharma (the teachings the Buddha gave explaining the path to liberation)
• The Sangha (the community that practices these teachings).

When a person wishes to integrate Buddhist philosophy into their life, they say, "I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha." This is known as taking refuge.

The Dharma, the Buddha's teachings, is based on the Four Noble Truths, symbolized by the wheel. Originally, the Sangha was the monastic community, and later it expanded to include all those who follow the Buddhist path.

The first jewel is the Buddha. Taking refuge in the Buddha does not mean hiding behind the security of a powerful being. In this case, taking refuge involves adopting a new perspective, a new awareness of the potential that resides within each of us. By taking refuge in the Buddha, we align ourselves with the capacity to become a Buddha ourselves, to seek the capacity to awaken to what the Buddha experienced. This precious jewel reminds us to find our own Buddha-nature.

The Dharma is the path that follows the Buddha's teachings and ultimately leads to awakening. The Dharma teaches us compassion for ourselves and others through understanding the Four Noble Truths and liberates us from fear and ignorance. The path involves embracing the Buddha's teachings and applying that understanding to daily life. The Dharma is called the second jewel.

The Sangha is made up of those who gather in groups of any size to study, reflect, and practice meditation with the desire to help and be helped by the group. The Buddha considered interaction with others on the path essential to the practice. He believed this was important for both ordained monks and the wider community. The Sangha is the third precious jewel.

In the original teachings and in present-day Theravada communities, the Sangha refers only to monks, nuns, and other ordained teachers. In many Mahayana and Western groups, the concept of Sangha is interpreted more broadly to include all those who embrace the Dharma as a community.