Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The need for refuge in our life
Pervasive compounding suffering, the third kind of suffering, gives rise to the other two
kinds of suffering: the suffering of pain and the suffering of change. Because our aggregates
are under the control of karma and delusion, they are pervaded by suffering, which is why
this type of suffering is called pervasive.
When we pinch our skin, it hurts. We feel pain because our aggregates are pervaded by
suffering. That itself is an explanation about reincarnation, about the continuity of the
consciousness from life to life. That is why it is suffering. If this life were the first one, why
should there be suffering? What is the cause of that first moment of suffering? It doesn’t
make any sense.
However, our aggregates are contaminated by the seed of disturbing thoughts, and because
of that they are pervaded by suffering. And that is compounding suffering because there is the
continuation of consciousness from life to life. Our consciousness carries negative imprints
from past lives. That compounds this life’s and future lives’ suffering.
From the fundamental ignorance of reality arises the ignorance of not knowing karma, not
knowing Dharma, what is right and wrong. And then, from that, attachment and anger arise
toward desirable and dislikeable objects respectively. That itself is suffering but, motivated
by that, we create karma. Then that karma leaves negative imprints on our mind and they
produce future lives’ rebirth and suffering. Therefore, these aggregates not only compound
this life’s suffering but future lives’ suffering as well. This is how pervasive compounding
suffering is the foundation of the two other sufferings.
That is why taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is vital. The purpose of taking
refuge is to be free from the third level of suffering, pervasive compounding suffering. If we
can be free from this we will never ever have to experience the other two sufferings again.
We are totally liberated, forever—not just for a few days, a few months, a few years, then we
have to come back again. It’s not like we have a brief holiday from suffering and then have
to return to it again.
If we have refuge in our heart, that is the basis for the various sets of vows we can take: the
pratimoksha vows, the bodhisattva vows and the tantric vows. These are the means that can
lead us to not just attaining liberation but attaining enlightenment for sentient beings, to free
them from the oceans of samsaric suffering and to bring them to enlightenment. Becoming a
bodhisattva and achieving enlightenment are based on the three sets of vows.
With refuge in our mind we are no longer outer beings but inner beings. With refuge in our
mind, all the negative karma we have collected in the past from beginningless rebirths
becomes purified and we immediately collect skies of extensive merit any time we want.
Every time we have the opportunity, every day, we can do this.
By taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha we do not receive harm from either human
beings or nonhuman beings—spirits and so forth. All our wishes are successful no matter
what they are: our own freedom from samsara or enlightenment for the sake of all sentient
beings. We will not be reborn in the lower realms and we will quickly become enlightened,
achieving the omniscient mind.
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