1.4.9

Lesson 1.4.9 Ratanasuttaṃ – Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha

In today’s current world of new challenges in health, climate and peace the ancient Ratanasuttaṃ gains new actuality. Going back to a period when the previously profitable city of Vesāli was suffering from draught, scarcity of food, diseases and death, it describes a situation where the people of Vesāli invited the Buddha to visit them to help re-establish their moral and social principles by teaching them the Dhamma. Before entering the city, the Buddha asked Ānanda to proceed and recite the Ratanasuttaṃ. The verses make use of the absolute veracity of the supreme qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha as ‘gems’ or ‘jewels’. The introduction to this lesson distinctively accentuates these qualities and refers extensively to the descriptions of the Aṭṭhakathā (commentaries) revealing how the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha each portrays a precious jewel (ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ)! The expression of such saccavacana then indeed resulted in the well-being (etena saccena suvatthi hotu) of the inhabitants of Vesāli who henceforth upheld the Dhamma as advised in this sutta. The qualities of the triple gem expressed here will inspire people to enter upon the Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo and enable all, who undertake the efforts to join on such a purifying journey, to gain and maintain inner calm in spite of all potential outside predicaments.