Buddham Saranam Gacchami: The Three Refuges - Text, Meaning & Significance
Buddham Saranam Gachami - Sacred Text
बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि ।
धम्मं शरणं गच्छामि ।
सङ्घं शरणं गच्छामि ॥
दुतियम्पि बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि ।
दुतियम्पि धम्मं शरणं गच्छामि ।
दुतियम्पि सङ्घं शरणं गच्छामि ॥
ततियम्पि बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि ।
ततियम्पि धम्मं शरणं गच्छामि ।
ततियम्पि सङ्घं शरणं गच्छामि ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi,
dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi,
saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
dutiyampi buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi … (the second time)
tatiyampi buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi … (the third time)
Meaning
I go for refuge to the Buddha (the Awakened One). I go for refuge to the Dhamma (the Teaching / the Law). I go for refuge to the Sangha (the Community of noble ones). The formula is then repeated “for the second time” and “for the third time,” affirming the taking of refuge with full sincerity. These are the Tisarana - the Three Refuges, also called the Triratna, the Three Jewels of Buddhism.
About this Chant
Buddham Saranam Gacchami is the foundational profession of faith in Buddhism, recited in the ancient Pali language. By “taking refuge” in the Three Jewels - the Buddha, his teaching (Dhamma), and the spiritual community (Sangha) - a person formally becomes a follower of the Buddhist path. It is chanted at the start of nearly every Buddhist ceremony, before meditation, and as part of daily practice across the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions. Its companion, the Pancha Sila (Five Precepts), usually follows. The Devanagari form preserves the Pali phonetics (note dhammaṃ rather than the Sanskrit dharmam).
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
To take refuge is not to flee the world but to orient the heart toward awakening. The Buddha is the example of one who has crossed over; the Dhamma is the raft of liberating truth; the Sangha is the community that supports the journey. Reciting these lines settles the mind, renews one’s commitment to ethical living and meditation, and is said to bring fearlessness, protection, and clarity. Many practitioners chant the Tisarana three times each morning to begin the day grounded in the path.
Astrological Relevance
In Vedic and Jyotisha terms, the Buddha is honoured as the ninth avatara of Vishnu and is associated with the planet Mercury (Budha) - the karaka of intellect, discrimination, and clear thought. Taking refuge cultivates the wisdom and equanimity linked to a strong Mercury and a well-placed Jupiter (Guru, the teacher and the guiding principle). The renunciate, liberation-seeking spirit of refuge resonates with Ketu, the planet of moksha and detachment. The chant is a fitting daily practice for those in a Mercury, Jupiter, or Ketu dasha seeking inner steadiness, and for anyone wishing to strengthen the mind’s clarity and dispassion.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Sit in a calm, upright posture, hands folded or resting in the lap. Recite the three refuges slowly and mindfully, then repeat the set a second and third time. Many practitioners follow with the Five Precepts. There is no requirement of initiation to recite the Tisarana for personal practice, though formally “taking refuge” as a Buddhist is traditionally done before a monk or teacher.
Best Day & Time
The Tisarana may be chanted at any time, but dawn (to begin the day) and dusk are traditional. Buddha Purnima (Vesak), the full-moon day marking the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, is the most auspicious occasion. Wednesday, the day of Mercury (Budha), is especially fitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Three Jewels (Triratna)?
They are the Buddha (the Awakened One), the Dhamma (his teaching), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners) - the three refuges in which a Buddhist places trust.
Is this Sanskrit or Pali?
The chant is in Pali, the liturgical language of early Buddhism, here written in Devanagari script. The Pali “dhammaṃ” and “saṅghaṃ” correspond to the Sanskrit “dharmam” and “saṅgham.”
Why is each line repeated three times?
Repeating the refuge a first, second, and third time (dutiyampi, tatiyampi) confirms the wholehearted sincerity of the commitment, a custom observed in formal refuge ceremonies.
Taking shelter in the Triple Gem - a bridge between Buddhist and Vedic devotion
The Tisarana - the threefold act of going for refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha - is among the oldest living devotional formulas in the world, preserved with remarkable fidelity in the Pali tradition. What makes this chant so enduring is not only its doctrinal completeness but its intimate emotional register: each repetition is understood as a conscious, heartfelt act of surrender, a turning away from isolation and toward the light of wisdom and community. The cadence of the Pali verses carries within it the warmth of countless sincere recitations, making even a first encounter feel resonant and quietly familiar. Devotees recite the Tisarana at the opening of puja, at dawn, at the beginning of meditation retreats, and at every major Buddhist ceremony, understanding that repetition deepens the commitment rather than making it mechanical.
In the Jyotish tradition, Mercury governs language, discernment, and the capacity to distinguish wisdom from illusion, while Ketu is associated with renunciation, spiritual liberation, and the inner turn away from ego-centred desire - both resonate naturally with the spirit of the Tisarana. Practitioners who chant these lines with attentiveness report a settling of the mind before meditation that many attribute to the mantra's measured cadence and its invitation to rest awareness in something greater than personal concern. For those on an integrative spiritual path, this chant exemplifies how the pursuit of wisdom can be both rigorously simple and profoundly moving.