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The different schools of Buddhism have varying ceremonies but for most Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists a prospective convert must take refuge in the three jewels and undertake the five precepts to officially be considered a Buddhist in the community. Undertaking the five precepts is a promise to give up suffering by ending five major causes of it. Taking refuge is like placing faith in the resources that will lead to Nirvana (enlightenment).

To take refuge in the three jewels a practitioner takes faith in the fact that the Buddha attained enlightenment and overcame Dukkha (suffering) and Samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth). By taking refuge in the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, the practitioner declares that the Dharma is a way to end Dukkha and Samsara. Finally, the practitioner takes refuge in the Sangha, the community of monastic and lay people who have also taken refuge in the three jewels. By taking refuge in the Sangha one avows to rely on the community of Buddhists as a resource for their spiritual needs.

Typically in the same ceremony or after a Buddhist undertakes the three jewels, they will undertake the five precepts. The five precepts are to refrain from killing, taking what is not given, false speech, sexual misconduct and consuming substances that cause heedlessness (drugs and alcohol). Rather than restricting the life of a Buddhist, the precepts are undertaken to maximize happiness. The five actions mentioned in the precepts are the ones that cause the most harm in people's lives and therefore not committed. The precepts are not commandments, if a person breaks the precepts and for example drinks alcohol, the consequences are not drastic. The precepts are just guidelines to live by, many moral persons, Buddhist or not, already follow the precepts.

However, a practitioner need not undertake an official ceremony at a temple to consider herself a Buddhist. After all, Buddhism is merely a label; the actual practice of Buddhism is very different to each person. The Dalai Lama once said that because there are six billion people in the world, therefore there should be six billion different religions in the world. Buddhism is wonderful because it so incredibly flexible and accommodating to other belief systems. So, these ceremonies act more as reminders for practitioners than anything else. Just by silently taking refuge in the three jewels and undertaking the five precepts any person, regardless of their religion, can become a Buddhist.

Learn more about this author, Michael Carlin.
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