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Tattoo designs - B >> Buddha's Three Jewels

Buddha's Three Jewels Tattoos - The Three Jewels - known in Sanskrit as the Triratna - are not actual gems or precious stones at all, but gifts for those on the spiritual path. They are called 'jewels', because for practitioners of Buddhism, they are the most precious gifts in the spiritual life. They are the three refuges - the three sources of refuge from the endless cycle of rebirth (Samsara) - the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha (see below for meaning).

The 'jewel' reference refers also to diamonds, which are indestructible, unchanging, and can cut through all delusion. In fact, Buddha has been referred to as Diamond Mind. For one who has become liberated through knowledge, that person is said to have a 'mind like a diamond.'

The first jewel is Buddha, which includes all those who have become enlightened and who don't stop there, but carry on helping others to realize their true nature. The second jewel is the Dharma, which includes the methods, teachings, and practices that lead one towards liberation. The third jewel is the Sangha, the community of those who honour Buddha - and by extension, the Dharma and the Sangha.

Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the essence of initiation into Buddhism. It is the daily practice of monks and nuns to say the prayer of the Triratna, bowing to the ground and chanting the gauchamis, or prayers of refuge: "I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha."

The Three Jewels symbolize nothing less than the foundation of Buddhism itself around the world.

Usually found engraved on sculptures of the Footprint of Buddha - some examples dating back to more than 200 BC - the Triratna also appears on ancient coins minted by Buddhist kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent.

The Tibetan version of the Three Jewels is more complex and appears as part of an image involving two other 'tri' symbols - the three roots and the three 'bodies' of Buddha. In this symbol, three coloured balls are depicted at the centre of two concentric borders creating a tri-petal composite, which is used for meditation in yogic and tantric practices.

In Taoism and Jainism (Jainism, like Buddhism sprang from Hinduism around 530 BC) the Three Jewels symbol is more metaphorical, and describes behaviour and knowledge such as right perception, right knowledge, and right conduct.

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See also: Buddha Tattoos, Religious Tattoo Index, Japanese Tattoo Index, Bodhi Tree, Parasol, Buddhist Tattoos, Conch Shell Tattoos, Begging Bowl, The Empty Throne, Buddhist Tattoo Index

Tattoo designs - B >> Buddha's Three Jewels

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