What It Means to Take Refuge in Buddhism

When I was six years old a visiting Tibetan Buddhist teacher granted an audience to the kids of Buddhist practitioners in New York City. At the end, a few of us decided to take refuge, a vow that would mean we would, from then on, be Buddhists ourselves. There were three of us who opted into this vow. I sat next to Remy, and was told to repeat line-by-line after the Buddhist teacher. Finally he instructed us to say our name and that we took refuge in what is known as the three jewels of Buddhism.

Remy and I said, “I, Remy, take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.”

“Wait wait wait,” the teacher said. “Say your own name. Go back.”

Remy and I both once more said, “I, Remy, take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.”

“Wait!” the teacher said. “Try that again.”

I once more messed up this simple recitation. He pointed at me. “Say your name,” he said.

“Paul Rinzler,” I replied.

He smiled and said, “Good enough. We’ll keep going.”

At the end of the ceremony I received a Buddhist name, Lodro Thadel, which I believe to have been offered ironically given that I couldn’t even get my legal name right in the ceremony — it translates as “Boundless Intellect.” I’ve gone by Lodro for many years now.

A HELPFUL VERSE

There is a beautiful Buddhist text dating back to the fourteenth century known as the 37…