5-7-2011 The Fourfold and Sixfold Refuge

The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Victor Hazen, Dance Smith)

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 44 - The Fourfold and Sixfold Refuge 

When taking refuge, the Sutric system practices the threefold refuge, in which one takes refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
The act of taking refuge is the offering of one`s body and mind to follow the Triple Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, which represent all buddhas, the right Dharma, and the holy Sangha.
Thus, one cultivates according to the Buddhadharma and realizes one`s inherent Buddha Nature.

In Tantric Buddhism, taking refuge with the Vajra Master is added to the threefold refuge, which then becomes the fourfold refuge. We, thus, recite the Fourfold Refuge Mantra: Namo Gurubei. Namo Buddhaya. Namo Dharmaya. Namo Sanghaya.

Tantric Buddhism places the Vajra Master before the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha so as to educate the Tantric practitioner that only the Guru can transmit the Tantric doctrines, and the Guru is indispensable when it comes to studying Tantric Buddhism.
The Guru is the most important root.
The body of the Guru symbolizes the Buddha Himself remaining on earth.
The speech of the Guru symbolizes the Buddha expounding the Dharma.
The mind of the Guru symbolizes the pure Self Nature of the Buddha.
This is the reason why the Vajra Master is the embodiment of the Triple Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

There is also the six-fold refuge in Tantric Buddhism.
This is built upon the Fourfold Refuge and includes taking refuge in the root principal deity and root protector (dakini).

We do know that the Guru, the principal deity and protector form the Three Roots. 
The guru is the root of blessings, 
the deity is the root of accomplishments, 
and the protector is the root of activities.

In principle, if one cultivates the Tantric teachings without the blessing and guidance of the heart essence and secret keys transmitted by the Root Guru, one will not know how to enter the system of Tantric practices.
And without the mighty spiritual current of the root principal deity to empower the practitioner, how can he or she approach and enter into the secrets of all buddhas and receive union?

Furthermore, without the constant protection offered to the Tantric practitioner by the root protector, he or she will be attacked and swallowed by the Mara demon, or will end up crazy.

Of these Three Roots, the Guru ranks as the most important. 
This is because the practitioner must first receive the transmission of his principal deity and protector from his guru before he or she can practice in agreement with the law.

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