When one believes one is truly ready to follow the Buddhist path as a their religion, one's next step is to take the Refuge Vows
Buddhism can be approached either as a philosophy or a religion. If it is approached as a philosophy, it can be used to live one's life in a more logical, compassionate manner. Buddhism can also be used as a religion.
Should a person, after proper reflection, wish to pursue Buddhism as a religion, one has to take the Refuge Vow. The Buddhist religion by and large frowns upon proselytizing, so the decision to formally join the Buddhist religion is created to be a very private one. Although taking the vow is simple, it should only be done once one is certain in their hearts that the Buddhist religion is right for them.
Unlike other religions which require a baptism or some elaborate ceremony, all that is required to become a Buddhist is to promise that from now on, one will take refuge in what is called the Three Jewels; the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
The vow can be taken more than once, and can be first taken as a part of a Refuge Ceremony or in the course of participating in another ceremony, such as an empowerment. The vow can be made aloud or silently so only the person taking the vow knows that they have taken it.
The words of the vow say that from now until one reaches Enlightenment, one will take refuge in the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel and the Sangha Jewel.
Refuge In Buddha
Buddha is of course, Buddha Shakyamuni. He created the path which all Buddhists follow to achieve the end of suffering in their lives and reach Enlightenment. In taking this vow, one is taking refuge also in the qualities of the Buddha, which one already has inside of them. As one practices Buddhism, one will learn how to discover these wonderful qualities and begin more and more to rely on them.
One should understand that the Buddha was once a man who lived a full secular life indulging in all material pleasures, until he recognized that life in the material world brought no peace. Instead it brought much suffering to himself and everyone he knew. So, he set out to discover a way to truly live a peaceful and happy life. In doing so, he also developed great compassion; a wish to help all others find the same peace. By taking refuge, one will follow this same path from suffering to peace, to Enlightenment, using the life of Buddha as ones guide.
Reference In Dharma
Dharma is the teaching of Buddha. Because of Buddha Shakyamuni’s long life, he was able to give 84,000 different teachings. These teachings are separated into the Sutra teachings and the Tantra teachings. Reading and following these teachings help one to reach Enlightenment.
Buddha told his followers not to believe what he said strictly because he said it. In other words, he said do not accept what he taught on blind faith. Buddha advised his students to apply what he said to their own lives and see if it resonated for them. After doing so, one begins to believe what the Buddha said and to have faith in his teachings; seeing them as practical, logical and useful ways of dealing with the trials and tribulations of life. Once one has found faith in the Buddha’s words, it is easy to take refuge in the Dharma jewel.
Refuge in Sangha
The Sangha Jewel is the body of ordained members of the group where one practices. In most cases, the Sangha, or ordained monks and nuns, are constantly working to improve their knowledge and understanding of the dharma and therefore more oflen have a deeper knowledge than a lay practitioner. Plus, based on the vows they take, they should also be working on improving their compassion towards others and therefore these Sangha can and should be called on not just for their knowledge, but to lend a shoulder in time of need as well as a great role model.
By taking the Refuge Vows and enlisting the aid of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha one will begin on the path to attaining the ultimate goal of a Buddhist practitioner, Enlightenment.
