18 Wondrous Analogies of the Triple Gem

 

1. The Buddha is like the full moon; the Dharma is like the shedding of the moon's effulgence; and the Sangha is like the world inspired with happiness by the effulgence of the full moon.
2. The Buddha is like the rising sun; the Dharma is like the web of his rays; and Sangha is like the world free of darkness.
3. Buddha is like the man who burns a poisonous forest; the Dharma, which burns the forest, and the Sangha is like the cleared land for planting.
4. The Buddha is like the rain-cloud; the Dharma is like a downpour of rain, and the Sangha is like the countryside in which the dust has been laid by the fall of rain.
5. The Buddha is like a good thoroughbred trainer; the Dharma is like the means for disciplining the horses, and the Sangha is like a mass of well-disciplined thoroughbreds.
6. The Buddha is like a dart-extractor because he removes all darts of wrong views; the Dharma is like the means for removing the darts; and the Sangha from whom darts of wrong views have been removed, is like people from whom darts have been removed.
7. The Buddha is like a lancet-user because he dissects away the cataract away; the Dharma is like the means for dissecting the cataract away; and the Sangha, whose eye of knowledge is cleared by the dissecting away of the cataract of delusion, is like people whose eyes are cleared with the dissecting away of the cataract.
8. The Buddha is the clever physician because he is able to cure the sickness consisting in defilement by underlying tendencies; the Dharma is like rightly applied medicine; and the Sangha, whose underlying tendencies to the sickness of defilement are quite cured, is like people whose sickness is cured by the application of the medicine.
9. The Buddha is like the good guide; the Dharma is like the good path to a land of safety, and the Sangha is like people who enter upon the path and reach the safe place.
10. The Buddha is like a good captain; the Dharma is like a ship, and the Sangha is like people who have succeeded in reaching the further shore.
11. The Buddha is like the Himalaya, the Dharma is like the healing herbs that are grown there; and the Sangha is like people from ailment owing to the use of the healing herbs.
12. The Buddha is like a bestower of riches; the Dharma is like the riches; and the Sangha is like people who have obtained riches in the way hoped for.
13. The Buddha is a like the one who shows hidden treasure store; and the Dharma is the hidden treasure-store; and the Sangha is like people who have found the hidden treasure-store.
14. The Buddha is like a steadfast man who gives protection from fear; the Dharma is the protection from fear; and the Sangha is like the people who found protection.
15. The Buddha is like a consoler; the Dharma is like a consolation; and the Sangha is like people who are consoled.
16. The Buddha is like a good friend; the Dharma is like helpful advice; and the Sangha is like people who have fulfilled their aims through following the helpful advice.
17. The Buddha is like mine of riches; the Dharma is like the vein of the riches; and Sangha is like the people who exploit the vein of riches.
18. The Buddha is like an opened lotus flower; the Dharma is like the honey being given by the flower; and Sangha is like a swarm of bees making use of the honey.

Compiled by Lama Choedak Rinpoche from the Sutras. 16 November 2011