2021.02.04 Thursday

   188. Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to groves and sacred trees.

   189. But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.

   190. He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Sangha*; he who, with clear understanding, sees the four holy truths:–

   191. Viz. pain, the origin of pain, the destruction of pain, and the eightfold holy way that leads to the quieting of pain;–

   192. That is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge; having gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 14. THE BUDDHA (THE AWAKENED)

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1016.htm

* As this text has no copyright, I’ve take the liberty of replacing the original’s use of “Church” here with Sangha. Buddhists refer to those who gather to meditate and study the Buddha’s teaching as the Sangha. Many westerners are now familiar with the word. There is no need to use a word that has other connotations.

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