Three jewels according to the perfection vehicle

• Qualities of the buddha jewel
• Four buddha bodies
• Nature truth body and wisdom truth body
• Enjoyment body and emanation body
• True cessations and true paths
• Transmitted dharma
• Aryas who realized true cessations and true paths
• Explanation of how afflictions are eliminated in stages
• Four-fold assembly
• Ultimate and conventional buddha jewel, dharma jewel and sangha jewel
• Importance of understanding that we take refuge in the three jewels and not the religious institutions

04 Three Jewels According to the Perfection Vehicle (download)

Contemplation points

1. Why are the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha described as rare and precious? Why is it that the Buddhas appear so infrequently in the world and what we can as sentient beings do to influence this?
2. Contemplate each of the four Buddha bodies described in the text: wisdom truth body, nature true body, enjoyment body, and emanation body. What are the characteristics of each? Which fulfill our own purposes and which fulfill the purpose of others?
3. Describe the ultimate and conventional Dharma and Sangha Jewels. What is a common misconception about the Sangha Jewel? Why is it so important to remember that our refuge is in the Three Jewels and not in a particular religious institution, tradition, or teacher?
4. Spend some time imagining people who have these kinds of qualities (i.e. what is it like to have a true path in your mental continuum?). Recognize that you can develop these qualities too by following the path.