Causes of Refuge

Buddhism teaches that nothing can exist independent of its own unique causes and conditions. A tomato cannot grow without a seed, nor without nutrients, water, light and other favorable conditions. In the same way we wouldn’t seek a refuge if we weren’t afraid of something, of needing to find a refuge, or didn’t have faith in a potential refuge which offered protection. Therefore, we understand that… “[t]he causes of Refuge are …twofold … fear of cyclic existence and faith in the refuge objects that show the way to liberation.” By contemplating the prospect of endless sufferings from one life to the next, under the power of our untamed, afflicted minds, motivates us to seek a trustworthy method. The good news is, that the Buddha offers a reliable method, a path, a way of planting positive imprints on our minds, awakening our true potential and thus ending the suffering we all experience. So we must first plant, then patiently cultivate our good seeds and in time the harvest will be enjoyed by all!