This article was posted by CrystalWind.ca.
What Are The Three Jewels?
Written by AndEl

Buddhists take refuge in three different expressions of awakened mind: buddha, dharma, and sangha. Each of these is a precious and necessary element of the Buddhist path, and so they are called the three jewels.
1. Buddha: The Teacher
This refers, first, to the historical Buddha, the original teacher. He was not a god but a human being like us, and his example shows us that we too can follow the path to enlightenment. More broadly, the buddha principle refers to all teachers and enlightened beings who inspire and guide us.
2. Dharma: The Teachings
The Buddhist dharma starts with the fundamental truths that the Buddha himself taught—the four noble truths, the three marks of existence, the eightfold path, etc.—and includes the vast body of Buddhist teachings that have been developed in the 2,600 years since then. It’s worth noting that the Sanskrit word dharma also means a thing or object in the conventional sense. In either case, the word denotes a basic law or truth of reality.
3. Sangha: The Community
The term sangha has traditionally referred to monastics and arhats in whom lay practitioners take refuge. This has changed in the West, where sangha has come to mean the community of Buddhist practitioners generally, both monastic and lay. Buddhists here also use the word to describe a specific community or group, and you will often hear people talk about “my sangha,” meaning the Buddhist community to which they belong.
© CrystalWind.ca 2025. All content (articles, imagery, fair use) & design protected. Written permission required for copying. All rights reserved.
Join the Conversation Now! Comment Below!

Spirit Animal Totem Of The Day!
Crystal Of The Day!
Latest Articles
CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of
donations from people like you.
Donate Now »
Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!
Articles: Buddhism
Follow Us!
Who is Online Now
We have 28990 guests and no members online
Featured This Month
Amethyst: A Stone for the Age of Aquarius
Amethyst has long been thought of as a "stone of spirituality and contentmen... Read more
Cartomancy - Fortune Telling Using Playing C…
Cartomancy is the act of divining using cards. Divining means to find out by... Read more
Lithomancy
Lithomancy is the psychic art known by terms such as "reading stones, divina... Read more
Dowsing With Your Pendulum
Einstein's famous equation, E = MC2, equates energy and matter. All living... Read more
Birth Totem - Otter
Birth Totem Otter Birth dates: January 20 - February 18 Birth Totem: Otter... Read more
The Crystal Wind Oracle Card Deck
The Crystal Wind Oracle™ The Crystal Wind Oracle Myth & Magic Card D... Read more
Aquarius Mythology
The Aquarius Myth The Tale of Aquarius: A Story of Beauty, Power, and Immorta... Read more
Finding Your Personal Year Number
Here is a formula for finding your Personal Year Number: Read more
Smudging, Sacred Bowl Blessings
The practice of burning herbs, resin, or incense has been used by many cultu... Read more
Rest & Cleansing Moon
Otter – Quaking Aspen – Silver January 20 to February 18 The Rest and Clea... Read more
The Ash Tree - February 18 - March 17
Celtic Symbol : The Trident Or Sea - Horse Zodiac Degrees : 28º00` Aquarius... Read more