Homage to the Founder,
the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer (of defilements),
the One Gone Beyond,
the Foe Destroyer,
the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being,
the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shakya Clan

 

(Recollection of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha)

This fine report of the Buddha’s reputation has spread far & wide,
that he is

Worthy of honor and reverence,
being the Great Benefactor of us all;
He is an Arahant, completely purified,
a Fully Enlightened One;

Accomplished in Knowledge and Conduct,
Well-gone,
Knower of the world,
He is an Incomparable teacher for those to be trained;

A Teacher of devas and humans,
the Awakened One,
he is a blessing to the world.

(Recollection of the Dhamma)

His Liberating Teachings
are well explained,
they are timeless,
to be seen here and now;

They are inviting,
leading onwards,
and to be experienced individually by the wise

(Recollection of the Sangha)

And His Spiritual Community has practiced well,
with understanding, and integrity;
They have practiced with faith and clear intelligence,
with diligent effort and dedication,

They are worthy of praise and respect;
They are worthy of love and support
They are worthy of gifts,
worthy of hospitality,
worthy of offerings;
They are an incomparable field of merit for the world!

An Awakened One has appeared in the world.
He has taught the Way to freedom,
and generations of his followers have realized his teachings.

I take refuge in the Buddha,
the Great Compassionate Teacher
I take refuge in the Dhamma,
in all the Liberating Teachings
and I take refuge in the Noble Sangha,
the Accomplished Spiritual Community,
the Great Assembly of Saints and Bodhisattvas

I praise and celebrate,
honor and support all those who are cultivating
these paths and their results

Praise and Taking Refuge

Endowed with excellent qualities,
of purity, transcendental wisdom, and compassion,
the Great Teacher has enlightened the wise
like the sun awakening the lotus –
I bow my head to that peaceful Chief of Conquerors.

The Buddha, the Noble Lord,
who is the supreme, secure Refuge of all beings –
as the First Object of Recollection, I venerate Him with bowed head.
The Buddha is sorrow’s destroyer, and He bestows blessings

I take refuge in the Buddha,
and to the Buddha I dedicate this body and life.
In devotion I will walk the Buddha’s path of awakening.
By my devotion to the Buddha, and by the blessings of this practice,
by its power, may all obstacles be overcome.

The Dhamma is excellent because it is so clear and inspiring,
Its actual nature is known when put into practice –
it can be seen then as Path and Fruit, as Practice and Liberation.
This Dhamma holds those who uphold it from falling into delusion.
I revere the excellent teaching, that removes darkness from the mind

The Dhamma, which is the supreme, secure Refuge of all beings –
as the Second Object of Recollection, I venerate it with bowed head.
The Dhamma is sorrow’s destroyer, and it bestows blessings

I take refuge in the Dhamma,
and to the Dhamma I dedicate this body and life.
In devotion I will walk this excellent way of Truth.
By my devotion to the Dhamma, and by the blessings of this practice,
by its power, may all obstacles be overcome.

Born of the Dhamma, that Sublime Sangha
is guided in body and mind by most excellent virtue.
I revere that assembly of Noble beings perfected in purity.

The Sangha, which is the supreme, secure Refuge of all beings,
as the Third Object of Recollection, I venerate it with bowed head.
The Sangha is sorrow’s destroyer and it bestows blessings

I take refuge in the Sangha
and to the Sangha I dedicate this body and life.
In devotion I will walk the well-practiced way of the Sangha.
By my devotion to the Sangha, and by the blessings of this practice,
by its power, may all obstacles be overcome.

To the Buddha,
the Savior having Great Compassion and Great Wisdom,
with qualities like a vast ocean,

To the purity which makes one free from attachment,
the virtue which frees one from the lower realms,
to that Dhamma which pacifies, brings freedom,
and reveals our true nature,

And to those who are liberated and who also show the path to liberation,
the holy field qualified with realizations,
who are devoted to the moral precepts,
and to the benefit of beings,
to the Sangha, the sublime community intending virtue –

Homage

I take refuge in the Buddha

I take refuge in the Dharma

and

I take refuge in the Noble Sangha

May all beings share in these blessings.