Paying Respect to the Three Jewels

Buddhists pay highest respect to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha as an expression of devotion, strong confidence and deep inspiration in the Buddha’s Enlightenment, His liberating Teachings, and His noble disciples.

Homage to the Buddha

The Buddha has shown that within us lies the highest potential for enlightenment. We revere and honour the Buddha’s great virtues and aspire to follow His footsteps to cultivate wisdom and compassion.

Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha

In facing life challenges and in pursuing a peaceful and fulfilled life, Buddhists turn to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha for guidance. Amidst a stream of change, to take refuge is to rest in the security that our Dhamma practice can provide us.

Observing the Five Precepts

We understand that we are capable of co-existing harmoniously with others. We make effort to live a life of mindfulness and restraint, free our thoughts, speech and actions from causing hurt and harm to ourselves and others.

Recollection of the Buddha

When we recite the verses of recollection of the Buddha, we are reminded of the sublime qualities of the Buddha, which helps to strengthen our faith and respect towards the Teacher. Contemplation of the Buddha also develops and enhances our joy, inspiration, and confidence in the possibility of liberation.

Recollection of the Dhamma

By keeping in mind the sublime qualities of the Buddha’s liberating Teachings, we experience joy, energy, and faith in the efficacy of the path. The Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, pure in its meaning and in its details, bearing immediate fruits, timeless, inviting investigation, worthy of application, to be experienced by the wise.

Recollection of the Sangha

Good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship is the entirety of spiritual life. Recollecting the virtues of the Buddha’s noble disciples gives us inspiration, and instil trust and gratitude towards the Community. The Sangha is a community of people who put in effort to practise diligently and energetically; and who cultivate a direct and liberating path, is worthy of gifts and offerings, and a field of merit to the world.

Victories of the Buddha

On many occasions, the Buddha subdued adversaries and challenges with the power of His purity and virtue. By the power of these truths, may we be blessed with success.

Honouring the Three Jewels

The Buddha, His Teachings, and the community of Noble Ones are endowed with such supreme qualities that are truly worth of honour. We proclaim our refuge and honour in the Three Jewels.