Very often when people approach Buddhism they wonder: am I a Buddhist now or not? I don’t think it matters whether you are officially Buddhist or not. Some people are born in a Buddhist family and feel, “I am Buddhist”. Yet they do not have a single Buddhist practice in their life. Also, some think, “I am Buddhist because I went to a Buddhist temple”. If you have that question or want to be a Buddhist, these things pop up. There is a teaching that says when you enter the door of Buddhism, you are Buddhist. In general terms, being Buddhist is more about what you accept.
Here we will not talk about whether or not you are Buddhist in the conventional way. That’s more about whether you are seriously Buddhist or not. Are you actually Buddhist in terms of your spiritual practice? The door to become a Buddhist is through the practice of taking refuge. As a Buddhist practitioner, in rituals and actually taking Buddhist refuge in the Three Jewels, is very important. In general, what are the Three Jewels? It’s not about cost. Whether it is expensive or not doesn’t matter. An actual jewel is precious. It’s a thing that can fulfill your wish. That’s a jewel, right?
If you are poor and need food and shelter, if you have a wish-fulfilling jewel, you pray to that jewel and it’s supposed to provide you with those things. Or you can sell the jewel, you can make money for food and everything. So, jewel means something that helps you fulfill your wishes. That’s why we say Three Jewels, and not clothes. When you wear a costume, it will change your identity. Being Buddhist is not about changing your identity or putting a mark on yourself and calling yourself religious.
In Buddhism, the Three Jewels are something that fulfills your wish. When you have no troubles or problems, there is no meaning in having a wish. If you have a real wish-fulfilling jewel, it becomes very meaningful when you are struggling. So the goal of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is not to change your identity, not to put a label on yourself. The goal of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is all about solving your problems and making your wishes come true.
So as a Buddhist it’s really crucial to have a proper way of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Otherwise, when people ask you, “Are you Buddhist?” and “Are you taking refuge in the Three Jewels?”, if you reply yes and they then ask “Why are you taking refuge in the Three Jewels and you say, “Because I am Buddhist”, then you are wrong. You should be Buddhist because you are taking refuge in the Three Jewels, not taking refuge in the Three Jewels because you are Buddhist.
Am I Buddhist or Not? (Demo Rinpoche – Ancient Wisdom. Modern Times. #228 January 12, 2025)
