Many consider the Refuge Ceremony to be the moment in which one officially becomes a Buddhist. It is also the time one receives a dharma name (or refuge name). 

Taking the Refuge Vow marks your formal commitment to practice the path of Dharma. Of course, to practice Buddhism, we don’t have to make this official commitment, but if we do so it serves to solidify our sense of purpose. We go for refuge because we are determined to overcome our suffering and help others overcome their suffering.

Taking the Refuge Vow means making a commitment to the path of looking within and practising Dharma. One takes refuge in the Buddha as an example, in the dharma as the path, and in the sangha as companionship.

The essential point of Dharma practice is to transform the mind, and we formally devote ourselves to this inner journey when we take this vow. It can be viewed as marking a time of change in our life, a time when we are ready to turn inward and work with the conditions of our own minds and hearts, as a method to bring greater ease, happiness and meaning to life.

The Refuge Ceremony itself consists of a short guided meditation, a talk on the meaning of Refuge, and then the actual Taking the Vows. Anyone is welcome to come along, and you can decide whether or not to take the vows after hearing the talk. 

David is planning to offer the Refuge Vow during an online ceremony in November 2023. (See and register for our next date here).

If you would like to participate or if you have questions about the vow please use the form below.

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The Five Precepts

If it has also been requested, David will also offer the Five Precepts (lay vows) to those who are interested. These are:

1. Refrain from killing any other sentient being,
2. Refrain from taking anything that is not freely offered,
3. Refrain from sexual misconduct/harmful expressions of sexuality,
4. Refrain from harmful expressions of speech,
5. Refrain from taking intoxicants that cloud the mind 

You can choose to take all five precepts, none of the five, or a combination of your choosing. Male and female lay practitioners who choose to take all five precepts are called an upasaka (Sanskrit) or upasika respectively.