Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Practical guidance in Buddhist life
Teacher Experience
A contemplative invitation for educators to reflect on before teaching.When you take refuge, imagine drawing on the strength and example of the Buddha as a master teacher, speaking to each student in the way that best matched their capacity. Remember you’re aspiring to share the dharma, this protective path that guides beings from endless unnecessary suffering. When you share the power of Sangha, reflect on your own experience of connecting with others who, just like you, wish to awaken. For non-Buddhists: What are your three main sources of guidance and support as an educator? Who are your role models? What inspiration guides you? What community do you draw strength from? Consider how reflecting on these questions with students might create deeper trust.
Student Experience
A contemplative invitation for students to connect with this learning goal.Reflect on complex situations where you’ve needed guidance from multiple sources—like learning from someone’s example, following helpful rules or advice, and getting support from friends or family working together.
Understanding
Students will understand...The three jewels—the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha—function as a comprehensive guidance system that helps Buddhists navigate complex life situations by providing example, teachings, and community support for making ethical decisions.
Action
Students are able to...Analyze how the three jewels function as sources of guidance in complex life situations; evaluate the practical applications of each refuge in Buddhist decision-making; and synthesize understanding by designing scenarios that demonstrate how each jewel provides different types of support.
Content Knowledge
Students will know...The three jewels function as a comprehensive guidance system that helps Buddhists make decisions and navigate complex life situations through interconnected sources of support.
The Buddha serves as an exemplar whose life and teachings provide a model for ethical decision-making. In challenging situations, Buddhists analyze how the Buddha’s example of compassion, wisdom, and skillful action might apply to their circumstances. This isn’t about copying specific behaviors, but understanding the principles behind his choices and adapting them to contemporary contexts.
The dharma provides the ethical framework and practical teachings for understanding consequences and making beneficial decisions. When facing moral dilemmas, Buddhists evaluate options using dharma principles like non-harm, truthfulness, and the interconnectedness of all beings. The dharma helps them analyze the likely outcomes of different choices and select actions that reduce suffering.
The sangha offers community wisdom and accountability in decision-making processes. Buddhist communities often discuss difficult situations together, drawing on collective experience and insight to find skillful solutions. The sangha provides both emotional support and practical guidance, helping individuals see situations from multiple perspectives.
These three sources work together synergistically – the Buddha’s example inspires direction, the dharma provides analytical tools, and the sangha offers community wisdom and support in applying both.
Guiding Questions
Implementation Possibilities
Research case studies of Buddhist communities facing challenges like natural disasters or social conflicts to analyze how they used the three jewels. Create decision-making flowcharts showing how each jewel contributes to ethical choices in scenarios like peer pressure or family disagreements. Design group projects where students develop realistic scenarios requiring guidance from all three jewels. Facilitate classroom debates about how different sources of guidance might conflict or complement each other. Practice analyzing contemporary examples of people using wisdom traditions for guidance. Establish connections between the three jewels and students’ own sources of support and decision-making frameworks.
Assessment Ideas
Evaluate students’ scenario designs for realistic application of each jewel’s guidance function. Assess their analysis of case studies through written reflections or group presentations. Review their decision-making flowcharts for understanding of how the jewels work together in complex situations.
