The Three Refuges and Five Precepts
A foundational Theravada chant: taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, followed by the five ethical precepts.
Verses
I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the Dhamma for refuge. I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
Verse 1
For the second time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. For the second time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. For the second time, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
Verse 2
For the third time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. For the third time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. For the third time, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
Verse 3
I undertake the training rule of abstaining from taking the life of living beings.
Verse 4
I undertake the training rule of abstaining from taking what is not given.
Verse 5
I undertake the training rule of abstaining from sexual misconduct.
Verse 6
I undertake the training rule of abstaining from false speech.
Verse 7
I undertake the training rule of abstaining from fermented and distilled intoxicants that cause heedlessness.
Verse 8
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)
Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)
Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering
- Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home
Background
This text comes from the Theravada Buddhist tradition and is one of the most fundamental chants for both laypeople and monastics. The first part — the Three Refuges — is recited when a person formally becomes a Buddhist, expressing trust in the Buddha (the teacher), the Dhamma (his teachings), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners). The second part — the Five Precepts — is a set of ethical guidelines that Buddhists voluntarily undertake to live a life of non-harm and self-discipline. Traditionally, both are chanted in the ancient Pali language at the start of ceremonies, meditation sessions, or as a daily practice of commitment and renewal. The going-for-refuge formula is the Pali Canon's Khuddakapatha (1), and the precepts are drawn from the Ten Training Rules of Khuddakapatha (2).
Did You Know?
Origin
This is the Tisarana (Three Refuges) and Pañcasīla (Five Precepts), the most basic and universal chant for lay Buddhists worldwide. It is recited in Pali, the ancient language of the Theravada Buddhist scriptures, preserving the exact words used since the Buddha's time.
Structure
The first three lines are the formula for taking refuge in the Buddha (the teacher), the Dhamma (his teachings), and the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns). The repetition three times (dutiyampi = "secondly," tatiyampi = "thirdly") is a traditional way to deepen commitment, similar to a vow made three times for emphasis.
Meaning of the Precepts
The five precepts that follow are not commandments but voluntary training rules: not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants that lead to heedlessness. Each line ends with samādiyāmi ("I undertake to observe"), showing they are personal commitments.
Daily Practice
This chant is often recited daily by lay Buddhists at home or in temples, especially at the start of meditation or before a ceremony. It serves as a reminder of core ethical conduct and the triple refuge that forms the foundation of Buddhist identity.
Language Preservation
The Pali text is a phonetic rendering of the original Māgadhī dialect spoken by the Buddha. Even today, millions of Buddhists across South and Southeast Asia chant these exact syllables, maintaining an unbroken oral tradition of over 2,500 years.
Buddha
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