中文
To take refuge in the Three Jewels is to develop faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The closest analogy is baptism in Christianity, which means to be reborn. When you take refuge, you are reborn not in the sense of taking a new birth but in terms of turning over a new leaf.
When you take refuge, from then on you realise that what you have been doing and how you have been thinking and operating is wrong, and that they create suffering for others and yourself. Therefore, you seek methods that are correct and you seek solace and refuge.
You surrender your negative activities and take on wholesome activities. Also, from that day on, you actively decrease your negativities and increase your positive qualities. That is refuge
The refuge prayer is a fundamental part of every sadhana (daily practice), puja and retreat. It’s so important that it is even one of the preliminary practices that are a prerequisite for receiving higher teachings.
Therefore, when we recite the refuge formula every day, we should also engage in the appropriate visualisations. There are a few variants of the refuge visualisation and you can do any version that you feel comfortable with.
This video is a step-by-step guide to the practice of taking refuge based on a simplified version of the Lamrim refuge visualisation
- Taking Refuge by Pabongka Rinpoche