The History of My Going for Refuge

by Sangharakshita

"Going for refuge" is the act of committing one’s life to Buddhism. Tracing his own path of discovery, Sangharakshita shows how the monastic and spiritual life are not identical but that what is truly important is commitment to spiritual ideals.

Genres: Nonfiction, Buddhism

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Sangharakshita was born Dennis Lingwood in South London, in 1925. Largely self-educated, he developed an interest in the cultures and philosophies of the East early on, and realized that he was a Buddhist at the age of sixteen.

The Second World War took him, as a conscript, to India, where he stayed on to become the Buddhist monk Sangharakshita. After studying for some years under leading teachers from the major Buddhist traditions, he went on to teach and write extensively. He also played a key part in the revival of Buddhism in India, particularly through his work among followers of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

After twenty years in the East, he returned to England to establish the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in 1967, and the Western Buddhist Order in 1968 (now known as the Triratna Buddhist Community and the Triratna Buddhist Order respectively).

Sangharakshita has always particularly emphasized the decisive significance of commitment in the spiritual life, the paramount value of spiritual friendship and community, the link between religion and art, and the need for a ‘new society’ supportive of spiritual aspirations and ideas.

In recent years Sangharakshita has been handing on most of his responsibilities to his senior disciples in the Order. Based at the Adhisthana retreat centre in Herefordshire UK, he is now focusing on personal contact with people. For more, go to www.sangharakshita.org.

A collection of 27 volumes will represent the definitive edition of his life’s work as a Buddhist writer and teacher. Find out more about The Complete Works of Sangharakshita

A series of talks by Sangharakshita: ‘Launch of The Essential Sangharakshita and Living Ethically’.

Reviews

[David Nash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A better title might be "The history of my thinking of going for refuge"

[Fidel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting point of view offered by Sangharakshita, no doubt he saw, studied and lived Buddhist teachings from a wide variety of traditions. In my opinion the book is quite repetitive and written in a way that becomes a little a tedious. I’d even say you can read only the final chapter and you’d understand almost every idea he discusses in the whole book

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of memoir and views on Buddhism.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful account of Going for Refuge fo those seeking to commit to Buddhism.

[Juan Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes we tell our friends we have a spiritual path and how advanced we are in the way; but is it true?

A book that got me thinking about it.

Going to refuge for Buddhists is the step to definitively be defined as Buddhists. It refers to accept three principles (although in this case applied to Buddhism I believe can be applied to all religions):

The Buddha: follow the one closer in your religion to the divine ideal.

Dharma means to follow the teachings of the master.

The Sangha means to follow the path and teachings with a spiritual community that follows the same principles.

Do you do any of these?

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memoir of Sanharakshita's search for true spiritual expression. He found the essential practice to be going for refuge to the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha. Simple and deeper every day.