15: The Buddha’s Visit to Rājagaha – 544
It is to be noted here that King Bimbisāra took the threefold refuge only
after becoming established in the Stream-entry (
Sotāpatti
) path and fruit.
Although taking refuge in the Three Treasures was accomplished on
realizing Stream-entry, at that time he was only making up his mind that
the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha are truly the refuge, shelter and support.
Now he took the refuges by actually uttering the words accordingly by
devoting himself to the refuges (
atta-sanniyyātana-saraṇa-gamana
).
There are various kinds of refuges: 1) The refuge taken by worldlings
(
puthujjana
) by contemplating the attributes of the Buddha, Dhamma and
Saṅgha, the Three Treasures (
lokiya-saraṇa-gamana
). It is insecure,
impermanent and perishable; 2) the refuge in which the noble ones (
ariya
)
are established simultaneously with their realisation of the path with
Nibbāna as their object (
lokuttara-saraṇa-gamana
); 3) taking two refuges,
like that taken by Tapussa and Bhallika uttering
Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ
gacchāmi, Dhammaṁ saranaṁ gacchāmi
, at the time when there was not
yet the community of monastics (
dve-vācika saraṇa-gamana
); 4) taking
three refuges, like that taken by Yasa’s father, mother, ex-wife, and others
uttering:
Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, Dhammaṁ saranaṁ gacchāmi,
Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi
after the formation of the order (
te-vācika
saraṇa-gamana
).
There are four formulae for taking refuge. 1) Devoting oneself to the
refuges (
atta-sanniyyātana-saraṇa-gamana
): in order to escape from the
round of Saṁsāra, I entrust myself to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha
and take refuge in them, starting from today (
ajjādiṁ katvā ahaṁ attānaṁ
Buddhassa niyyātemi
); 2) relying on that as refuge (
tapparayāṇa-saraṇa-
gamana
): starting from today, I have only the Buddha, the Dhamma and
the Saṅgha to rely on, to depend on (
ajjādiṁ katvā ahaṁ, Buddhassa
parayāṇo … Dhammassa parayāṇo … Saṅghassa parayāṇo
); 3) the
disciple for life refuge (
sissa-bhāvūpagamana-saraṇa-gamana
): starting
from today, I am a disciple of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha
(
ajjādiṁ katvā ahaṁ Budhassa antevāsiko … Dhammassa antevāsiko …
Saṅghassa antevāsiko
); 4) The prostration refuge (
paṇipāta-saraṇa-
gamana
): starting from today, kindly regard me as one who pays homage,
who stands up in welcoming, who reveres the Buddha, the Dhamma and
the Saṅgha (
ajjādiṁ katvā ahaṁ, Buddhassa abhivadānaṁ
paccuppaṭṭhānaṁ añjalī kammaṁ, samici-kammaṁ karomi …
Dhammassa … Saṅghassa … karomi
).
[421]
Through realisation of Stream-entry (
Sotāpatti-magga
) King Bimbisāra
became one who was established in the fixed refuge (
niyata-saraṇa-