The Three Jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha form a triad that constitutes the core of Buddhism.
※ Buddha (佛)
The Buddha refers to the enlightened ones, encompassing all Buddhas, typically symbolized by Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Buddha), the founder of Buddhism. As an awakened and enlightened being, the Buddha revealed the path to wisdom and compassion, guiding sentient beings toward enlightenment.
From a practice perspective: The Buddha represents the attainment of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. This state is not merely a pinnacle of wisdom but also embodies compassion and equality.
Broadly understood: While Shakyamuni Buddha is often the primary exemplar of the Buddha, in a broader sense, the term encompasses all beings who have achieved enlightenment, including past, present, and future Buddhas.
※ Dharma (法)
The term “Dharma” derives from the Sanskrit dharma, representing the teachings and practices transmitted by the Buddha. It includes the Tripiṭaka (Three Baskets) of scriptures—Sutra (discourses), Vinaya (discipline), and Abhidharma (philosophical treatises)—as well as Buddhist doctrines, precepts, and methods of cultivation. The Dharma serves as the gateway to enlightenment and the foundational guide for practitioners.
As a basis for practice: The Dharma provides the essential framework for overcoming suffering and achieving liberation. It encompasses practices such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Thirty-Seven Bodhi Factors, guiding beings to transcend afflictions and attain inner purity and freedom.
Broadly understood: Beyond written scriptures, the Dharma also includes the Buddha’s oral teachings and interpretations by great monks and scholars across generations . These teachings have been transmitted through the ages, forming the core guidelines for Buddhist practice and daily life.
※ Sangha (僧)
The Sangha refers to the monastic community of practitioners who have realized enlightenment. Composed of ordained individuals (僧伽, “Saṃgha” in Sanskrit), they are the practitioners, transmitters, and exemplars of the Buddha’s teachings. Adhering to the Buddha’s precepts, they serve as guides on the path to enlightenment for all beings.
Categorization: The Sangha is divided into Noble Sangha (贤圣僧) and Ordinary Sangha (凡夫僧). The Noble Sangha includes exalted beings like Mañjuśrī (文殊菩萨), Avalokiteśvara (观世音菩萨), and Kṣitigarbha (地藏王菩萨).
Broadly understood: In a broader sense, anyone who earnestly practices the Buddha’s teachings—whether monastic or lay—can be considered part of the Sangha. This concept emphasizes the importance of practice and transmission, as it is through these practitioners that the Dharma is preserved and propagated.
The Buddha is the source of the Dharma and Sangha, akin to the root of a tree, providing the theoretical foundation of Buddhism. As the pioneer and embodiment of perfect enlightenment, he established the paradigm for monastic practice.
The Dharma embodies the Buddha’s teachings, offering sentient beings a tangible “form” of his wisdom—whether psychological or spiritual—and provides the doctrinal foundation for the Sangha’s practices.
The Sangha serves as the concrete practitioners and transmitters of the Buddha and Dharma. Through their adherence to precepts, cultivation, and propagation of the Dharma, they sustain and perpetuate Buddhism across generations.
Together, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha form the three vertices of a triangle, collectively supporting the vast edifice of Buddhism. The Buddha, as the enlightened one, expounds the truth; the Sangha, as practitioners, embody its transmission and propagation. This triadic principle underpins the entirety of Buddhist tradition.