--- ai_generation_date: '2026-09-06' ai_model: gemini-3-pro-preview audiodharma: talks: - date: '2020-11-09' mp3_url: https://audiodharma.us-east-1.linodeobjects.com/talks/12397/20201109-Diana_Clark-IMC-refuge_in_the_sangha.mp3 speakers: - speaker_name: Diana Clark speaker_url: https://www.audiodharma.org/speakers/240 talk_start_time_seconds: 0 title: Refuge in the Sangha url: https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/12397 video_unavailable: false location_city: Redwood City, CA video_unavailable: false youtube: id: gppV2M_rJzk imprecise_upload_date: '2021-05-04' title: 'Dharma Talk: Refuge in the Sangha' upload_date: null uploader_str: Insight Meditation Center uploader_url: https://www.youtube.com/@InsightMeditationCenter youtube_url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gppV2M_rJzk --- # Refuge in the Sangha - [Diana Clark](https://www.audiodharma.org/speakers/240) _This is an AI-generated transcript from auto-generated subtitles for the video above. It likely contains inaccuracies, especially with speaker attribution if there are multiple speakers._ ## [Refuge in the Sangha](https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/12397) Good evening. Tonight, I'd like to continue the series that I started on refuge. Two weeks ago, I spoke about refuge in the Buddha, and last week I talked about refuge in the Dharma. You probably won't be surprised when I say that tonight I'm going to talk about refuge in the Sangha[^1]. The first week, I talked a little bit about refuge as an orientation, and then the second week, refuge as a transformation. Tonight, I'd like to talk a little bit about refuge as an emotion. To take refuge, or to go for refuge, we might consider it as a type of homecoming—a place where we feel safe, where we feel secure, where we feel a sense of integrity or sincerity. Or maybe there's something that's not even quite clear what it is, but just a feeling like, "Oh yeah, okay, this feels like home." I often hear people describe their experience when discovering the Dharma as being like that: a sense of homecoming where they feel more open or connected, or maybe with a certain resonance. That might be one way in which we can understand refuge, as this movement of the heart, or maybe something that's not quite so clearly articulated in the mind, but a feeling of rightness. Sometimes this expression of "I'm going for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha" is described as refuge in the Three Gems, the Triple Gem, or the Three Jewels. The commentaries expand this by saying that the word for gem, _ratana_[^2], could also be interpreted as that which induces, brings, produces, and increases delight. So, going for refuge is associated with delight. It is this feeling of being uplifted, or maybe even a type of gladness. It's associated with some positive internal experience. I love this idea that it increases delight. To go for refuge is a pleasant experience. It's not something born out of obligation or a sense of "this is what I should do." Instead, it's a feeling of coming home, a feeling of ease and well-being, which may be a vague, diffuse experience, but a sense of being aligned with something important. ## False Refuges I've been talking about the Buddha and the Dharma, and I'll talk about going for refuge in the Sangha, but there are also those things that we unknowingly take refuge in which turn out not to be so helpful. Some of the internal things that we take refuge in—and we probably wouldn't use this language, but if we consider it, we might notice that our minds like to go to different places for refuge. It's as if the mind believes that there might be some increased safety if we just plan and plan and plan. Or if we just worry and worry—if we just worry enough, then everything will be safe. Or if we just figure everything out, then we'll be safe and we'll find a secure place. Or maybe if we're just critical enough and complain and critique ourselves, everybody else, the environment, and whatever experience we're having. These might be ways in which our mind is trying to find some safety. Maybe we have this sense: "If I just become more perfect, if I just improve myself in some way"—this never-ending self-improvement project—"then I'll be able to be safe once I get to these forever-moving goalposts." These habits of mind are movements towards trying to find safety. I'm sure we've adopted them because at one time, or maybe sporadically, they do provide some safety or a little bit of a sense of well-being. But maybe they're not always the sense of refuge that they have been, or maybe they're simply no longer a refuge, but it's a habit now. It's so familiar that we don't even recognize we're doing it. These are false refuges—these habits of behavior or habits of mind. There might be external false refuges as well, refuges that are not our inner life but the way we show up in the world, or what we are working towards. Things like work, livelihoods, finances, relationships we've had, things in society being a certain way, or our health. When these change—which of course they do—it becomes really stressful when our well-being was dependent on them being a particular way. Having a particular title in our profession and then retiring and having a bit of a crisis, taking on a certain identity, or banking on our health capabilities or bank accounts—all these things we believe are going to provide security and safety. It's not that they don't, but they're not complete safety. They're not true refuges. They're not infallible. There's a verse in the _Dhammapada_[^3] that talks about this. It goes like this: "People threatened by fear go to many refuges, to mountains, forests, parks, trees, and shrines. None of these is a secure refuge; none is a supreme refuge. Not by going to such a refuge is one released from all suffering." Here is this idea taken literally, like going for refuge by going to physical locations: trees, parks, forests. They probably didn't have bank accounts back then, but this idea was that something external—that as long as they were in some particular physical location—would provide reliable and consistent safety, a secure and supreme refuge. ## The Supreme Refuge The passage continues by asking what a supreme, secure refuge is: "When someone going for refuge to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha sees with wisdom the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the arising of suffering, the overcoming of suffering, and the Eightfold Path that leads to the end of suffering, then this is a secure refuge. This is a supreme refuge. By going to such a refuge, one is released from all suffering." This is an internal experience seen with wisdom. We use this generic word "suffering," which expresses a wide spectrum, from something mildly annoying or irksome to really serious suffering. The word for suffering in Pali is _dukkha_[^4], which often gets translated as suffering, but we could also say dissatisfaction or stress. Seeing with wisdom the Four Noble Truths means honestly seeing what the difficulties are, seeing in what conditions these difficulties arise, and how they are overcome. This is related to the Eightfold Path—these eight aspects of our experience that we can use to explore, to see the arising of suffering and the overcoming of suffering, and understanding that with wisdom. Instead of going to some physical location, it's about having an understanding; it's about seeing with wisdom. Perhaps it isn't until we begin to understand some of the different sources of our suffering—and the obvious suffering, maybe an illness, an injury, or physical pain due to a disease—that we might begin to really understand what provides safety, protection, and sanctuary. Maybe it's not what served as protection when we were younger, but only when we start to have a better understanding of suffering do we really start to understand refuge. ## Two Definitions of Sangha To have refuge in the Sangha, there are a number of different definitions. I'm just going to talk about two. One, which we find in the discourses, is the Sangha of those individuals who have achieved some degree of awakening, who have tasted freedom. And then there's the conventional, contemporary definition of Sangha: fellow practitioners. People that we practice with. Sometimes we talk about this Sangha on YouTube, those of you who put in the chat box, "Hello from [your location]." It's a beautiful thing; I find it very sweet and touching, and in some ways, it feels like this is a Sangha too, the Monday night YouTube Sangha. ## The Sangha of the Awakened I'll start with the Sangha of those individuals who have achieved some awakening. Interestingly, this has nothing to do with whether a person is ordained or a householder. It has nothing to do with what gender they have, their background, what they look like, the color of their skin, their racial or ethnic background, or their sexual orientation. Instead, it's related to what they do. Going for refuge in the Sangha is similar to the practice of recollection of the Sangha—bringing the Sangha to mind as a formal practice. Who is the Sangha that you're bringing to mind? It means having unwavering confidence in the Sangha, _aveccappasāda_[^5]—that is the expression in Pali for unwavering confidence. The way the Sangha is described is as the followers of the Blessed One who have practiced well, who have practiced straightforwardly, methodically, and masterfully. I feel really touched by this, that there's something inspiring when you see someone has truly excelled at their craft. What comes to mind are live performances or athletic events. I've had this experience—maybe you've had similar experiences—of seeing a performance where a person was singing and it felt like all of her being was coming through the microphone. It was magnificent. I felt the hair stand up on my body and I had tears coming down; it was such a beautiful expression. I've also seen this with live performances of dance. To see people—I don't know what their interior experience is, of course—but there's some grace coming through, something true. It feels like these are people who have practiced well, straightforwardly, methodically, and masterfully. In the same way, the Sangha of the individuals who have practiced this Eightfold Path express it beautifully, and you can sense it in them in a way that is inspiring, expressing the potential of humans. To take refuge in the purity of this expression is powerful. The passage describing the followers who have practiced well goes on to say it includes those individuals who have achieved one of the four levels of awakening[^6], and those who are on the way to achieving each of those levels. I feel touched by this; it doesn't matter specifically what level of awakening they have, being on the way also counts. Being a member of this Sangha means being on the way. ## The Gladness Pentad The passages continue that as a consequence of recollecting the Sangha—bringing to mind those who have practiced masterfully—the followers of the noble ones are not overcome with passion, aversion, or delusion. Their minds head straight based on the Sangha. These unwholesome roots are not being expressed when we are tuning into, recollecting, and being inspired by people who have practiced masterfully. When the mind is headed straight, followers of the Buddha gain a sense of the goal, a sense of the Dharma, and gladness connected with the Dharma. There's a sense of delight, well-being, and okayness. It doesn't stop there: "In one who is glad, joy arises. In one who is joyous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed has happiness. In one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated." Sometimes this is called the gladness pentad[^7]: gladness, joy, tranquility, happiness, and concentration. We find this in a number of places in the discourses. A number of things get the gladness going. In this case, it's recollection of the Sangha. It can also be recollection of the Dharma, the Buddha, and a number of different things. Bringing to mind things that are supportive for practice is a way in which gladness arises, cascading from gladness to joy, to tranquility, to happiness, and concentration. From concentration, a number of things can happen, including awakening. Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha can be a real support for practice. It's not just something we do every now and then when on retreat, but an integral part of our practice. ## The Sangha of Fellow Practitioners Now I want to talk a little bit about the Sangha as our fellow practitioners. For me, this has been absolutely vital. I've talked a few times about how important it was for me to meet other people doing this practice. I didn't know anybody who was meditating when I first found the Dharma. I was in corporate America and had a very different life. To meet people who were so nice, kind, and sincere—I just enjoyed talking with them about the Dharma, hearing teachings, discussing books, and talking about things we didn't understand. I honestly found a refuge in people who took teachings on right speech seriously. There wasn't any putting down of people; there was a real sense of integrity, sticking to what is true, and not gossiping. It had a huge impact on my practice. During my first three-month retreat, there was someone I didn't know well who went on the retreat too. Having gone through that experience together—sitting hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month—there's a bond that happens, even though we didn't speak. It's a huge support to have other people share that experience. Even here on YouTube in the chat box, it's a support for all of us. I think all of us are influenced by others and the support they provide, directly or indirectly. ## The Story of Meghiya There's a discourse that tells a story about this concerning Meghiya[^8]. Meghiya was the attendant to the Buddha before Ananda. Meghiya wanted to go meditate. Earlier in the day, he saw a mango grove that was really attractive for meditating, so he said to the Buddha, "I'd like to go meditate in the mango grove that I saw earlier." The Buddha said, "No, it's not the right time." It was just the two of them, and if Meghiya had left, the Buddha would have been alone. Meghiya asked a second time, saying something along the lines of, "I still have work to do. You don't have work to do, but I do. I want to go meditate." The Buddha said no. Meghiya asked a third time, and the Buddha said okay. So Meghiya went and meditated. While meditating, he exclaimed, "It's amazing that even though I have ordained, even though I have gone from the home life to homelessness, I am ensnared by these three unwholesome thoughts: thoughts of sensual pleasure, thoughts of ill will, and thoughts of harming." He was amazed. He had perhaps the best meditation teacher that has ever existed, and opportunities to practice, but he still had all these unwholesome thoughts arising and disturbing his meditation. He went back to the Buddha and reported what happened. The Buddha responded, "Meghiya, for those whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, there are things that lead to this maturity. And what are they? The first is to have a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade. This is the first thing that leads to greater freedom of mind." I appreciate very much these three synonyms: good friend, companion, and comrade. Maybe these have three different levels of intimacy. Maybe it's somebody we don't even know, but just knowing about them—knowing they're meditating, watching YouTube, or seeing them on Zoom—provides support. The Buddha is saying this is the first thing that leads to the maturity of freedom of mind. Taking refuge in the Sangha—those who have practiced in such a way that we feel inspired—is so important. Maybe some of those people are our friends, companions, and comrades. Maybe they're just fellow people walking the path. Knowing we have companions on this path is a big part of our practice. May you take refuge. May you find safety and protection in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha in a way that supports you and supports your life, so that we can support others, so that our practice can be an exemplar for others, building bridges and offering support where needed. Thank you. --- [^1]: **Sangha:** The Buddhist community; it can refer specifically to the monastic community of ordained monks and nuns, the community of noble ones who have attained some stage of awakening, or more broadly to the community of all practitioners. [^2]: **Ratana:** A Pali word meaning "jewel" or "gem," commonly referring to the Three Jewels (_Tiratana_): the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. [^3]: **Dhammapada:** A collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best-known Buddhist scriptures. [^4]: **Dukkha:** A Pali word often translated as "suffering," "stress," or "unsatisfactoriness," representing the fundamental unsatisfactoriness and painfulness of mundane life. [^5]: **Aveccappasāda:** A Pali term meaning "unwavering confidence" or "experiential confidence," typically placed in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha upon reaching early stages of awakening. [^6]: **Four Levels of Awakening:** In the Theravada tradition, the four progressive stages of enlightenment: Stream-enterer (_Sotapanna_), Once-returner (_Sakadagami_), Non-returner (_Anagami_), and Arahant. [^7]: **Gladness Pentad:** A sequence of mental states often described in the suttas that naturally flow from wholesome practice: gladness (_pāmojja_), joy/rapture (_pīti_), tranquility (_passaddhi_), happiness/pleasure (_sukha_), and concentration (_samādhi_). [^8]: **Meghiya:** A monk who served as an attendant to the Buddha before Venerable Ananda took on the role permanently. The _Meghiya Sutta_ details his struggles with meditation and the Buddha's advice on the importance of spiritual friendship.