When you do Vandanā by yourself, either at home

or at a temple, you may kneel down comfortably,

start directly with the salutation to the Buddha,

and then proceed to the formulas for the refuges

and precepts. When a monk or nun is present, you

formally request him or her to administer the

refuges and precepts. This procedure preserves

the religious relationship between the laity and

clergy in the heritage of Theravāda Buddhist

practice. After you have made the formal request,

the monk or nun begins the administration of the

refuges with the following salutation to the

Buddha: “Homage to the Sublime One, the

Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. Namo

tassa Bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.”

The layperson repeats this stanza three times after

the monk or nun.

After the salutation, repeat the formula for taking

refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the

Sangha three times. These three are called the

Three Refuges or the Triple Gem.

 By taking refuge in the Triple Gem, you are initiated into the practice of the Buddha’s teaching. Now you

can be considered to be a Buddhist, although in

actuality, the real Buddhist is the one who lives a

life following all the principles of the Buddha’s

teaching with full understanding. Reciting the

formula for taking refuge should be done with

full understanding of its meaning. The first of the

three refuges is the Buddha, the discoverer and

expounder of the path to liberation. He is the

supremely enlightened being who elevated human

dignity to its highest spiritual attainment,

purifying the mind through the practice of the

path laid down by all enlightened beings,

including himself. The Dhamma is the Buddha’s

teaching of the truth. The Sangha is the

community of the Buddha’s enlightened disciples.

Taking refuge affirms our commitment to accept

the qualities of the Triple Gem as our supreme

guiding principles. In order to achieve the goal of

these principles, we have to follow their

meanings. This calls for us to translate the

teachings into action and to live by the Dhamma

(Dhammaṃ kāyena passati).

Tisaraṇa-Pañca-Sīla-Yācanā

Laity: Okāsa ahaṃ bhante tisaraṇena saddhiṃ

pañca-sīlaṃ dhammaṃ yācāmi,

anuggahaṃ katvā sīlaṃ detha me bhante.

Dutiyam pi okāsa … (repeat above)

Tatiyam pi okāsa … (repeat above)

Tisaraṇa

Monk: Yam-ahaṃ vadāmi taṃ vadetha.

Laity: Āma bhante.

Laity: Namo tassa Bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.(3 times)

Monk, followed by laity:

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyam pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyam pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyam pi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyam pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyam pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyam pi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Monk: Tisaraṇa-gamanaṃ sampuṇṇaṃ.

Laity: Āma bhante.

Request for the Three Refuges and

Five Precepts

Laity: Permit me, Bhante, I ask for the three

refuges together with the five precepts.

Please, Bhante, kindly administer the precepts to me.

A second time permit me … (repeat above)

A third time permit me … (repeat above)

Ref: Bhavana Vandana by Bhante Henepola

Gunaratana.