The Three Jewels (Sanskrit: tri-ratna or ratna-traya), also known as: The Triple Gem, The Three Treasures, and the Three Refuges – are the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
1. Buddha
The Buddha of course refers to the Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni (Siddhartha Gotoma). He was not a god or a celestial being. He was human. Him being human had many advantages, mostly importantly it provided living proof that ordinary people can achieve enlightenment and attain Buddhahood. When we take refuge in the Buddha, we put our faith in our practice and his teachings so that we too can realize and attain the same enlightenment as the Buddha and escape the cycle of birth and death.
2. Dharma
Dharma are the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhism is vast and comprehensive, and would be impossible to read everything there is about it (at least in the Mahayana teachings). Buddha’s main teachings are the Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, Cause and Effect (karma), and meditation. These are the foundation teachings of any school or tradition of Buddhism and mastering them is essential in order to fully grasp and comprehend advanced teachings and practices.
3. Sangha
Traditionally, Sangha only referred to the monastic order of monks and nuns. But as Mahayana traditions developed and flourished, Sangha refers to the whole community of Buddhist practitioners. Lay members of a temple or monastery are concerned part of the Sangha. Sangha is very important, because it provides you with additional tools for practice and study with other like-minded people who are also practicing on the path of enlightenment. Taking refuge in the Sangha doesn’t just mean taking the monks and nuns of the temple as your teachers, but also all the members of the Sangha as additional support to your practice.
A person becomes a Buddhist by “taking refuge” in the Three Jewels during a ceremony conducted at a temple by the head monk or nun (Abbot or Abbess). The Three Jewels are central to Buddhist religious life, and taking refuge in them is a defining moment in the life of Buddhist practitioners. The Three Jewels are also a core part of religious practice, as Buddhists are called to mentally reflect on the true nature of each of the Jewels along the path to enlightenment. These three concepts merit high esteem as Buddhists believe them to be imperishable and unchanging. The Buddha established the practice of taking refuge in the Three Jewels and its associated ceremonies during his ministry as recorded in Buddhist scripture. Though the precise meaning of the Three Jewels can vary from school to school, taking refuge in them is one practice and belief that unites Buddhists worldwide and across the ages.