Eight excellent qualities of sangha jewel
08 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Volume 4 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 
Jun 14, 2024 Part of an ongoing series of teachings based on the book Following in the Buddha's Footsteps, the fourth volume in The Library of Wisdom and Compassion series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.
- Knowledge and liberation
- True paths and true cessations
- Knowing the mode of existence, portion of diversity of phenomena and Buddha essence
- Freedom from grasping at true existence
- Freedom from portion of cognitive obscurations
- Freedom from portion of self-centred wish and obscurations to meditative absorption
- Explanation of self-centered attitude
- Selflessness of persons and phenomena
- Conceptual and direct realization of emptiness
- Why the Three Jewels are trustworthy and complete sources of refuge
08 Eight Excellent Qualities of the Sangha Jewel (download)
Contemplation points
- Spend some time contemplating each of the eight qualities of the Sangha Jewel (knowing the mode of existence, knowing the varieties, inner pristine wisdom, pure from the obscurations of attachment, pure from impeding obstructions, pure of the inferior obscurations, knowledge, and liberation) and how they can inspire you to practice the path and attain them yourself.
- Is it necessary that the Sangha Jewel possesses all of the eight qualities? Why or why not?
- Having obtained the sixth quality – being pure of the inferior obscurations – the qualities of those bodhisattvas are said to be irreversible. What does this mean?
- Which of the three qualities refer to true paths and which three refer to true cessations?
- Consider how self-centered thought can interfere with even our Dharma practice. What are ways you have seen this in your own practice? What can you do to counteract this thought that seeks only your own happiness and spiritual growth right now, and broadens the view of practicing the Dharma over many lives?
- Enumerating the excellent qualities of the Three Jewels demonstrates why they are trustworthy and complete sources of refuge. The text encourages us to fully take refuge in them from the depths of our hearts and to do so repeatedly so that we can call on their guidance no matter what situations we are faced with. What changes can you make in your own life to shift your mind to the Dharma and deepen your refuge in the Three Jewels?
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
