an fpmt introductory homestudy program · letter to discovering buddhism at home participants 7...

1 General Program Information7 R E F U G E I N T H E T H R E E J E W E L S

AN FPMT INTRODUCTORY HOMESTUDY PROGRAM

Discovering BUDDHISM at Home 2 7: Refuge in the Three Jewels 3 General Program Information

Discovering BUDDHISM

at HomeAwakening the limitless potential of your mind,

achieving all peace and happiness

AN FPMT INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM

SUBJECT AREA 7

Refuge in the Three Jewels

March 2007


Discovering BUDDHISM at Home

Awakening the limitless potential of your mind,achieving all peace and happiness

Contents should not be copied or reproduced without permission.

© FPMT Inc., 2003, 2006, 2007All rights reserved.

Cover image: Courtesy of Wisdom Publications,Tibetan Art Calendar 1995

Cover design: Karena Domenico

Contents

Letter to Discovering BUDDHISM at Home participants 7

Module Information and Documents 11

Subject Area Summary Sheet 13

Recommended Time to Study/Practice This Module 17

Intensive Practice Day 19

Suggestions for Continuing Meditation 21

Assessment Questions 25

Completion Card 27

Student Satisfaction Survey 31

About the Teacher 36

About the Meditation Leader 37




Dear Most Valued Participant,

Welcome to Discovering BUDDHISM at Home and thank you for be-coming a part of the growing number of students around the worldnow involved in this program.

Refuge in the Three Jewels is the seventh of fourteen modules beingoffered in this program. If you are joining this program now andhave not read the Discovering BUDDHISM at Home General ProgramInformation, please do so now before commencing your studies. Thisdocument can be found on the enclosed course materials CD.

A few notes about the materials associated with this module: Forthose of you who have the audio CD edition of the module, theDiscovering BUDDHISM Readings, as well as the teachings and medi-tations transcripts, are provided on the Course Materials CD. For thoseof you who have the MP3 CD edition, the DB Readings, and theteachings and meditations transcripts, are provided on the MP3 CDas PDF files. To view these documents on the MP3 CD, open theCD in a CD-Rom drive. An HTML document will open that lists allof the audio and text files on the CD and provides hyperlinks toeach one. Please note in both cases that these readings and tran-scripts are text files and must be opened on a computer CD-Romdrive. They will not open on an audio CD or MP3 player.


For those of you who have the audio CD edition of the module, all theteachings and meditations CDs are audio and can be played on yourcomputer or on an audio CD player. Please note that if you play theaudio CDs on your computer they may not open automatically. Inthis case you will need to open Windows Media Player and open theCDs in this program. For those of you with the MP3 edition, all theteachings and meditations can be played on an MP3 player.

Refuge in the Three Jewels is the seventh of this fourteen-module pro-gram. With this module you are receiving:• Audio CD edition: 6 audio CDs of teachings on Refuge in the Three

Jewels, taught by Ven. Thubten Dondrub, and 1 audio CD of 3meditations to accompany this module, led by Ven. ConstanceMiller

• MP3 edition: 1 MP3 CD containing the teachings on Refuge in theThree Jewels, taught by Ven. Thubten Dondrub, and 3 medita-tions to accompany this module, led by Ven. Constance Miller

• 1 Course materials text CD containing the Discovering BUDDHISM

Readings for this module, Refuge in the Three Jewels; The Wish-Fulfilling Golden Sun; General Program Information and Guide-lines for this module; and transcripts of the Refuge in the ThreeJewels teaching sessions and meditations. All of the above textmaterials are contained on the MP3 disk as PDF documents.

• Required* and Suggested Reading Booklist for the program(within the Guidelines)

• Subject Area Summary Sheet for Refuge in the Three Jewels out-lining the topics to be covered, required readings* and requiredintegration practices* to be done and suggested readings andpractices

• Advice on the recommended time to study/practice thissubject

• Intensive Practice Day (Retreat) outline• Assessment questions• Completion Card• Student Satisfaction Survey

An advanced online bulletin board for Discovering BUDDHISM atHome students on Module 6 and above provides you with an oppor-

tunity to converse with your fellow participants. The site has evolvedinto an active discussion group that we would encourage you to takepart. To have your address added to the site so that you will receivethe postings and can post messages yourself, please write to:[email protected]. Please note that you are encouraged to keepreading and responding to messages on the bulletin board for mod-ules 1–5 also, as the increased insight and knowledge you gain whileproceeding through the program will only benefit newcomers to theprogram.

Prior to joining the group, it is good to review page: www.fpmt.org/faq/ where many of the questions and answers that have been com-piled from the bulletin board thus far are posted. This page is up-dated monthly.

We wish you every success in your participation with DiscoveringBUDDHISM at Home and hope that this unique opportunity will trans-form your life and awaken the true nature of your mind so that youmay be of greatest benefit to all beings.

Merry ColonyDirector, FPMT Education Department

FPMT International Office1632 SE 11th Avenue

Portland OR 97214Email: [email protected]

* Please be reminded that all “requirements” apply only to those who choose to follow thisprogram for a Completion Certificate. This is a personal choice that one can make at anytime during the program. For those wishing to receive a Completion Certificate, there is noset order or time period in which one must complete the 14 modules’ completion cards.When all 14 cards are completed, send them to the FPMT Education Department toreceive your Completion Certificate.




SUBJECT AREA 7


Module Information and Documents


Subject Area Summary Information

7. Refuge in the Three Jewels

DescriptionBe informed about what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels(Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), and the essential practices of ref-uge. Find out more about the advantage of taking lay vows and theirrole in enhancing our spiritual growth.

Topics[All listings for individual CD contents are on the single disk MP3 edition.]

CD 1: Session One1. Introduction2. Does buddha-mind exist?3. The causes of refuge4. Dedication

CD 2: Session Two1. How refuge protects us2. The objects of refuge3. Buddha is a reliable refuge because he is fearless4. Skillful in freeing other from danger5. Has compassion for all6. Works for the sake of all7. Dedication


CD 3: Session Three1. The eight benefits of taking refuge2. Mindfulness of the eight benefits3. The objects of refuge4. Dedication

CD 4: Session Four1. The qualities of buddha’s body2. The qualities of buddha’s speech3. The qualities of buddha’s mind4. The qualities of buddha’s enlightened activities5. The qualities of the Dharma6. The qualities of the Sangha7. Dedication

CD 5: Session Five1. Criterion of correct refuge2. Advice regarding refuge practice3. What to avoid4. What to practice having taken refuge in Buddha5. What to practice having taken refuge in Dharma6. What to practice having taken refuge in Sangha7. Dedication

CD 6: Session Six1. Six general precepts2. Dedication

Required Integration Practices1. Meditation on Refuge in the Three Jewels2. Shakyamuni Buddha meditation3. One-day retreat

Required TextsAvailable from Shop FPMT (www.fpmt.org/shop) unless otherwisenoted.

1. The Wish-Fulfilling Golden Sun, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche,(pp. 69–75)

2. Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, by Pabongka Rinpoche(1997 gold edition, pp. 394–428; or 2006 blue edition, pp.352–84)

3. Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels booklet (FPMT)4. Discovering BUDDHISM Required Reading, “Refuge in the

Three Jewels”

Suggested Texts1. Spiritual Friends. Meditations by Monks and Nuns of the Interna-

tional Mahayana Institute (available from: www.fpmt.org/shop)2. Old Path, White Clouds, by Thich Nhat Hanh

Suggested VideosOn Buddhism, by Robert Thurman (Mystic Fire Video)

N.B.: It is always best to check the Discovering BUDDHISM Reading List on theFoundation Store website for the most recent information on Required and SuggestedTexts, as these lists are amended regularly as new publications become available.

(See: http://www.fpmt.org/shop/webpage.aspx?SID=1&Category_ID=1&Webpage_ID=7&)


Recommended Time to Study/Practice This Module

(These times may vary considerably between individuals)

Teaching SessionsSix sessions: approx. 1 hour listening time per session, plus ad-ditional reviewing time according to individual needs

Meditations2 meditations: approx. 45 minutes each meditation. Practice eachmeditation at least 3 times, to become familiar with the medita-tion outline. One should eventually be able to practice the medi-tation without using the CD.

Practice DayOne-day retreat: approx. 6 hours of meditation

AssessmentWritten assessment: Four short-answer questions. Total: approx.3 hours.

Required ReadingApproximately 7 hours.

Suggested Reading and VideosAs much as possible to deepen the process of understandingand familiarity with the material and additional teachings


Intensive Practice Day on


PreparationArrange a full-day break from work, outings, and phone or emailcontact so that you have conducive conditions for successful medi-tations.

Prepare the space where you will be able to sit comfortably forthe retreat. It should be clean and tidy, free of clutter and distractingobjects as much as possible. It’s helpful to have virtuous images,such as the Buddha, in front of your meditation seat/cushion.

At the beginning of the day you may wish to make offeringssuch as light, incense and flowers. Bring into your meditation areaany reading materials, etc., which you will need during the retreat.Remember not to place any Dharma books or materials on the floor.

Remain as mindful as possible during the retreat on the purposeof the practice – to integrate the material you have learned duringthe study of this module, Refuge in the Three Jewels. In betweensessions do not read newspapers, mail, or any other non-Dharmamaterial. Keep the retreat period free from television, phone calls,etc., and from conversations with others. Regard the retreat as a timeof meditation and spend the time alone without any distractions. Ifthis is not possible in the family home, try to investigate anothermore suitable environment for your retreat.

Retreat structureFour sessions of meditation throughout the day – two in the morn-ing and two in the afternoon – with adequate break-time in between.


Suggestions for ContinuingMeditation in


Dear DB at Home Students,

There have been several enquiries about how to meditate on a con-tinuing basis as one moves through the modules of the DiscoveringBUDDHISM at Home course.

Following are some suggestions, based on methods for meditat-ing on the Lam-rim (graduated path to enlightenment) as part ofone’s daily practice. There are probably as many ways to approachdaily practice as there are meditators. So don’t be rigid; use this in-formation as a guideline, and then tailor your practice schedule tosuit your own personal needs.

As you have all heard it said so many times: What is essential isthat we meditate every day.

There are instructions in the various modules, beginning withthe module 1, Mind and Its Potential, which will help you to set upyour daily practice. Review these instructions from time to time torefresh your memory. Pay careful attention to Ven. Sangye Khadro’sinstructions in module 2, How to Meditate.

In modules 1 and 2 there are slightly different versions of aMeditation on the Buddha. In the beginning, this meditation, or anothersimilar one, can be used as the basis for your daily meditation. It isgood to keep your practice simple, making the sessions short so theyare comfortable and workable for you.

Begin by carefully generating a constructive motivation for yourpractice and your day in general; using instructions for this from theteachings you have received so far.

Then, do the Meditation on the Buddha, or a similar meditation.

Allow approximately one hour to one and a half hours for eachmeditation session.

Motivation and dedicationWhether an action (in this case your meditation sessions) becomepure or not, or whether they become a cause for good rebirth in thenext life, a cause to achieve liberation, or a cause to achieve enlight-enment to benefit all beings depends on one’s motivation and dedi-cation. These two are crucial. Make sure to set a proper motivationbefore making offerings and doing your sessions and at the end ofeach session be sure to dedicate the merit of your practice to theswift enlightenment of all beings and to have all success in yourpractice.

Each session• Begin with a simple breathing meditation to calm the mind

and then set the motivation• Do the Shakyamuni Buddha Meditation up to and including

the second recitation of the mantra.• Do the analytical meditation on Refuge in the Three Jewels.• Conclude the session by completing the Shakyamuni Buddha

Meditation, including the dedication


Following the absorption, near the end of the practice, after imagin-ing that you have become the Buddha, you may do an analytical orreflective meditation (e.g., from modules 1 and 2 – Meditation on theContinuity of Consciousness, Appreciating Our Human Life, Meditation onImpermanence, or meditations from the subsequent modules).

By the time you have reached module 2 or 3, you will have sev-eral meditations from which to choose. By the end of the course,you will have a series of meditations available to you that cover theentire path to enlightenment. This is your lifetime’s work, if youchoose to engage the teachings on a deeper level. By making effortin the early stages of this course to establish your practice, you willserve yourself well in your continuing journey.

Beginning with the meditations in module 1, use one of thesereflective meditations each day following the absorption in the Medi-tation on the Buddha. Make your way systematically through all themeditations that you have worked with thus far in the modules youhave completed or are presently taking. When you have done all thereflective meditations in this way, go back to the beginning and startagain.

You may find that you want to work for a longer period of timethan one day for each meditation. That’s fine – three days, a week,whatever – but don’t get stuck in one place. Keep moving throughthe sequence until it is complete. Then begin again.

Finish your session with a strong dedication to put a seal on themeditative energy you have generated.

As your meditation develops and becomes more comfortable,you may wish to move on to a meditation written by Lama ZopaRinpoche for use by beginning students, A Daily Meditation Practice.It is a clearly outlined practice complete with guided meditations fordeveloping one’s motivation, the mind of refuge, and the thoughtof bodhichitta. In addition, the practice contains mantra recitationand visualization based on Shakyamuni Buddha and a Lam-rim prayerin the form of a request for blessings to develop all the realizationson the path to full awakening. It may also be helpful to know that ADaily Meditation Practice is the practice text that is used as the basis forthe teachings found in module 8, Establishing A Daily Practice.

It is possible to use this expanded meditation in the same way as

mentioned above, incorporating your reflective meditation into thepractice at the time of reciting the lam-rim prayer.

It is important to utilize all the meditations to which you havebeen exposed on a continuing basis in order to generate insight andintegrate these realizations into your life. Don’t just work with themeditations that you groove on, that feel good or that come easily toyou. The more you work with the difficult ones – the less compre-hensible ones – the more your insights will grow. So, persist withcompassion for your self and patience with the process. Your workwill bear fruit.

Thubten YesheDB Teacher, Mind and Its Potential


Assessment Questions

Please rely on the session material and required readings to answerthe following questions and write approximately half a page (notmore than one page) in response to each question.

1. What are the two causes for taking refuge. Discuss how theycause us to take refuge?

2. Write about the benefits of taking refuge from your own un-derstanding.

3. Explain in your own words the 3 things to avoid and the threeto practice once we have taken refuge.

4. How has the study of this module helped you?

Please return your responses to:Director

FPMT Education Department1632 SE 11th AvenuePortland OR 97214

Email: [email protected]



Completion Card

7. Refuge in the Three Jewels

Student Name

Please indicate that you have listened to and read the transcript ofeach teaching session. Dates can be approximate.

Session One Done

Dates

Session Two Done

Dates

Session Three Done

Dates

Session Four Done

Dates


Session Five Done

Dates

Session Six Done

Dates

Required MeditationsPlease indicate that you have practiced at least three sessions permeditation.

Meditation One: Meditation on Refuge in the Three Jewels

Done Dates

Meditation Two: Shakyamuni Buddha meditation

Done Dates

One-day Practice IntensiveDates of retreat

Required ReadingsPlease indicate that you have completed the readings

The Wish-Fulfilling Golden Sun (pp. 69–75) Done

Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (1997 gold edition, pp. 394–428;or 2006 blue edition, pp. 352–84) Done

Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels booklet Done

Refuge in the Three Jewels Readings from the DB at HomeCourse materials CD Done

Completion of AssessmentName of Assessor

Date Assessed

*Remember, completion cards are only for those who wish to receive a DiscoveringBUDDHISM at Home Certificate of Completion. For such a student to officially completeany given subject area all the required reading and practices indicated in each subject areasummary sheet must be completed. Requirements for the seventh subject area, Refuge inthe Three Jewels, are summarized above. The FPMT Education Department atFPMT International Office will issue an official Completion Certificate to students whohave fulfilled the requirements for all 14 subject areas. Please retain your completion cardsand send copies (of all 14 together) to the FPMT Education Department to receive yourfinal Completion Certificate.


Student Satisfaction Survey7. Refuge in the Three Jewels

Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this survey. It will assist the FPMTEducation Department in further development of this program.

Your Name

Completion Date of This Module

1. Where did you hear about the Discovering BUDDHISM at Homeprogram? (Please circle all that apply. Please provide specific names where applicable.)

a. Mandala magazine

b. Shambhala magazine

c. Other magazine ____________

d. FPMT website

e. Other website ____________

f. Friends

g. Other FPMT Center __________

h. Kopan course

i. Brochure___________

2. It was easy to get detailed information on the content of thecourse. (Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion

4. Disagree 5. Strongly disagree

Feedback:


8. The meditation exercises gave me a deeper experience &understanding of the subject matter.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion

4. Disagree 5. Strongly Disagree

Feedback:

9. The Required Readings led me to a deeper understandingof the subject matter.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

10. The assessment questions didn’t grant me a deeper under-standing of the subject material.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

11. This Module fulfilled my needs and expectations for thecourse.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

12. Any other comments?

3. It was hard to order the course materials.(Please check one.) Online or by mail

(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

4. This type of format (PDF, notes & Audio CDs) was easy tounderstand and use.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

5. This type of format (PDF, notes, & MP3 CDs [when available])was hard to understand and use.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

6. It was hard to understand the course format and sequence.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

7. The teaching materials were clearly and concisely presented.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:


Many thanks for your time. Your opinions are important to us.Please return this form to:

DirectorFPMT Education Department

1632 SE 11th AvenuePortland OR 97214

Email: [email protected]

About the Teacher

Venerable Thubten Dondrub is an Australian-born monk in the Gelugschool of Tibetan Buddhism. He has been teaching Buddhism topeople around the world since the 1980s and has served as attendantto such eminent lamas as Khensur Ngawang Legden of Sera-je Mon-astery and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. An active participant in issues pro-moting peace, Ven. Dondrub is currently serving as the EducationOfficer of the International Mahayana Institute, the FPMT’s organi-zation of monks and nuns, and is presently the resident teacher atHayagriva Center, Perth, Australia.


About the Meditation Leader

Venerable Constance Miller is an American nun in the Tibetan Bud-dhist tradition. Ordained in 1978, she has been teaching Buddhistphilosophy and practice in FPMT centers in Europe, Asia, andAmerica since 1982. She helped Lama Thubten Yeshe establish theproject entitled Universal Education and served as its director for anumber of years after its inception. From 1992–96 Ven. Connie wasresponsible for the editorial department of Wisdom Publications,Boston. Starting in 1996, she served in the Education Departmentof the FPMT’s International Office, serving as the Education Mate-rials Coordinator from 1998 through 2002. She continues to workactively on Essential Education (formerly called Universal Educa-tion) with Universal Compassion and Wisdom for Peace (UCWP)and is currently living in Santa Fe, New Mexico.


FPMT Education

Department

The aim of the Education Department at FPMT International Officeis to serve the needs of Dharma centers and individuals in the area ofTibetan Buddhist educational and spiritual materials. This includesprayers and practice texts, retreat sadhanas and other practice materials,a variety of study texts and translations, deity images for meditation,and curricular materials for study programs in FPMT Dharma centersand for homestudy.

One of our principal objectives is to serve as a repository for awide variety of practice texts primarily within the Gelug tradition, espe-cially those authored or translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and LamaThubten Yeshe. We work in close collaboration with the Lama YesheWisdom Archive, Boston, Massachusetts, which serves as a reposi-tory for the commentaries and transcripts of teachings by Lama ZopaRinpoche and Lama Yeshe.

If we can be of service to you in any way, please contact us at:

Education DepartmentFPMT International Office

1632 SE 11th AvenuePortland OR 97214

USATel: 1(503)808-1588

Email: [email protected]: www.fpmt.org/shop

Discovering BUDDHISM at Home 40 7: Refuge in the Three Jewels

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana TraditionEducation Department