The Three Jewels
		Zen practice is based on the three jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
		Buddha
		Buddha literally means "the enlightened one", the person who has seen through the illusions of the ego. On the historical level, this refers to Shakymuni Buddha, who attained this realization over 2500 years ago. On another level, it refers to one's teacher in Zen. While this can be the Zen teacher with whom the student trains, the primary teacher is one's own Mind, carefully observed.
		Dharma
		Dharma means the truth, the way things really are. This truth is contained in the teaching of Shakymuni Buddha, and in the teachings of those who have assimilated these teachings which have been passed down by direct transmission from teacher to student. In Zen, dharma is not to be confused with a teacher's words, any more than a finger pointing at the moon is to be confused with the moon. Dharma is the sound of a bird singing outside the window or rain falling; it is the perception of reality, uncolored by our likes and dislikes.
		Sangha
		Sangha refers to a group of people assisting one another in following the Buddha way. We use the term this way in our name, Single Flower Sangha. The Sangha can also refer to all Buddhists, or more generally to the entire universe which assists us in recognizing our enlightened state, if we allow it.
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	Produced by Peter Ash at the Department of Educational Technology San Diego State University Instructor: James White © 2002 Peter Ash. All rights reserved.