style="font-size:15px;"> You also need to have taken refuge prior to any vow; from the one-day precepts and so forth up to the vows of Secret Mantra. Taking refuge is therefore known as that which causes you to become a suitable basis for all types of vows.
3. The vow of taking refuge in the Three Jewels diminishes and brings to an end all karmic obscurations accumulated throughout all your past lives. That is to say, your obscurations will be totally exhausted through the special taking refuge, while through the general taking refuge the karmic obscurations will diminish.
Again, when a genuine feeling of taking refuge has arisen in your being, karmic obscurations are utterly brought to an end, while by the mere words of taking refuge they will diminish.
Furthermore, if you take refuge at all times, while walking, moving about, lying down, and sitting, the karmic obscurations will be completely exhausted, while by just taking refuge from time to time they will diminish.
4. You will possess vast merit. The mundane merits of long life, good health, splendor, and majestic dignity, great wealth and so forth, result from taking refuge. The supramundane unexcelled enlightenment also results from taking refuge.
5. You will be immune to attack by humans and nonhumans, and immune to the obstacles of this life. It is said that as soon as the genuine taking refuge has arisen in your being, you cannot be harmed by human obstacles in this life. Also you cannot be harmed by nonhumans such as nagas and malicious spirits.
6. You will achieve the fulfillment of whatever you may wish for. When the genuine taking refuge has arisen in your being, it is impossible not to accomplish whatever you intend. In short, it is said that placing your trust in the objects of refuge, you will receive whatever you desire, just as when supplicating a wish-fulfilling gem.
7. You will not fall into the lower realms, evil destinies, or perverted paths. The “three lower realms” refers to the hells, hungry ghost, and animal realms. “Evil destinies” refers to being reborn in places devoid of the Dharma such as among primitive border tribes. “Perverted paths” refers to non-Buddhist philosophies. So in order to avoid falling into these, it is said that one should simply take refuge.
8. The final benefit is that of swiftly attaining the true and complete enlightenment. What need is there to mention other benefits!
It is said in the Mahayana teachings of Secret Mantra that one can attain enlightenment within this single body and lifetime. This means that without a doubt you will swiftly attain enlightenment. So it is necessary to cut the misconception of thinking that it is enough to take refuge just once in a while. You should take refuge again and again both day and night. Then you will definitely swiftly attain true and complete enlightenment.
Master Padma said: If you exert yourself in taking refuge, you do not need to practice many other teachings. There is no doubt that you will attain the fruition of enlightenment.
Lady Tsogyal again asked the master: What is the actual practice of taking refuge?
The master replied: The actual application of taking refuge is as follows. First, form the aspiration of thinking:
I will establish all sentient beings in complete enlightenment. In order to do that I will gather the accumulations, purify the obscurations, and clear away the hindrances. For this purpose I will take refuge from this very moment until reaching enlightenment!
Then, without being distracted, say three times:
In the supreme of all humans, all the buddhas of the ten directions, I and all the infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
In the supreme of all peace, devoid of attachment, the Dharma teachings of the ten directions, I and all the infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
In the supreme of all assemblies, the members of the noble sangha who are beyond falling back and who dwell in the ten directions, I and all infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
Following that, repeat many times without being distracted:
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
Then make this supplication three times:
Three Precious Ones, please protect me from the fears of this life. Please protect me from the fears of the lower realms. Please protect me from entering perverted paths!
When you are about to finish, say:
Through this, my roots of virtue, may I attain buddhahood in order to benefit beings!
You should make the dedication in this way.
Lady Tsogyal asked the nirmanakaya master Padmakara: What is the method of taking the refuge vow?
The master replied: One should prostrate to and circumambulate a master who possesses the refuge vow, present him with flowers, and say as follows.
Master, please listen to me. Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the ten directions, please listen to me. From this very moment until attaining supreme enlightenment, I, ______,2 take refuge in the supreme of all humans, the billion truly perfected dharmakaya buddhas.
I take refuge in the supreme of all peace, devoid of attachment, the teachings of Mahayana.
I take refuge in the supreme of all assemblies, the sangha of noble bodhisattvas who are beyond falling back.
At the third repetition of this you will have obtained the vow. Make prostrations and scatter flowers. Then practice the trainings explained above and exert yourself in taking refuge.
This was the explanation of the outer way of taking refuge along with its application.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: How is one protected by having taken refuge?
The master replied: Whoever practices the trainings correctly, having taken refuge as explained above, will definitely be protected by the Three Jewels. Since this is so, if you fear straying into an errant path and pray to meet a genuine path, you will surely meet it. You will definitely also be protected from the fears of this life.
When all the qualities of taking refuge have arisen in your being, you should not be content to stop. Increase more and more the qualities that have arisen within you. You should use all the qualities that arise in your mind to gather the accumulations and purify the obscurations. When such exertion is generated, the full measure of ability has been produced.
All people who do not feel inclined to give rise to profound qualities such as [insight into] emptiness or the mandala of deities within their being can still purify their obscurations and gather the accumulations simply by taking refuge.
You may then argue, If one is protected by taking refuge in such a way, does that mean that the buddhas appear and lead all sentient beings? The reply is that the buddhas cannot take all sentient beings out of samsara with their hands. If they were able to do that, the buddhas with their great compassion and skillful means would have already freed all beings without a single exception.
Well then, you may ask, by what is one protected? The answer is that one is
