The master replied: Whoever practices the trainings correctly, having taken refuge as explained above, will definitely be protected by the Three Jewels. Since this is so, if you fear straying into an errant path and pray to meet a genuine path, you will surely meet it. You will definitely also be protected from the fears of this life.
When all the qualities of taking refuge have arisen in your being, you should not be content to stop. Increase more and more the qualities that have arisen within you. You should use all the qualities that arise in your mind to gather the accumulations and purify the obscurations. When such exertion is generated, the full measure of ability has been produced.
All people who do not feel inclined to give rise to profound qualities such as [insight into] emptiness or the mandala of deities within their being can still purify their obscurations and gather the accumulations simply by taking refuge.
You may then argue, If one is protected by taking refuge in such a way, does that mean that the buddhas appear and lead all sentient beings? The reply is that the buddhas cannot take all sentient beings out of samsara with their hands. If they were able to do that, the buddhas with their great compassion and skillful means would have already freed all beings without a single exception.
Well then, you may ask, by what is one protected? The answer is that one is protected by the [practice of the] Dharma.
When taking refuge has arisen within your being, you do not need to practice other teachings. It is impossible that you will not be protected by the compassion of the Three Jewels. It is similar to the fact that you will definitely be fearless when you have an excellent escort.
Thus Master Padma explained the outer way of taking refuge to Lady Tsogyal.
THE INNER WAY OF TAKING REFUGE
The nirmanakaya master Padmakara was asked by Lady Tsogyal, the princess of Kharchen: To which inner objects does one take refuge? What kind of person takes refuge? Through which manner or method does one take refuge? Which particular attitude and what duration of time does it entail? What particular circumstance is required? What is the purpose and what are the qualities?
The master replied: Regarding the objects of refuge, you should take refuge in the guru, yidam, and dakini.
The person who takes refuge should be someone who has entered the gate of Secret Mantra.
The manner or method is to take refuge with devoted and respectful body, speech, and mind.
Regarding the particular attitude of taking refuge, you should take refuge by perceiving the guru as a buddha, not abandoning the yidam even at the cost of your life, and continuously making offerings to the dakini.
Regarding the duration of time, you should take refuge from the time of having generated bodhicitta in the empowerment ceremony until attaining the state of a vajra holder.
Regarding the circumstance, you should take refuge by feeling devotion to the Secret Mantra.
As for the purpose or virtues of taking refuge, it has the purpose of making you a suitable vessel for the Secret Mantra and for receiving extraordinary blessings.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: Concerning the inner way of taking refuge, which trainings does one need to practice?
The master replied: There are eight trainings. First there are the three special trainings.
1. Having taken refuge in the guru, you should not feel ill will toward him or even the intention to deride him.
2. Having taken refuge in the yidam, you should not interrupt the meditation of the yidam’s form or its recitation.
3. Having taken refuge in the dakini, you should not break the periodical offering days.
The five general trainings are the following.
1. Consecrate as nectar, the first part of whatever you eat or drink. Offer it visualizing the guru above your head. Offer it, visualizing the yidam in your heart center and the dakini in your navel center. You should train in partaking of food in this way.
2. In whichever direction you go, supplicate the guru, yidam, and dakini. Visualize the guru above the crown of your head. Visualize yourself as the yidam and visualize the dakini and the Dharma protectors as your escorts. This is the training in walking.
3. Even at the cost of your life or limb, you should train in regarding the guru to be as dear as your heart, the yidam as dear as your eyes, and the dakini as dear as your body.
4. No matter what happens, such as sickness, difficulty or ease, joy or sorrow, you should train in supplicating the guru, making offerings to the yidam, and giving feasts and torma to the dakini. Other than that, you should not pursue other means such as soothsaying and shamanistic rituals.
5. Recollecting the virtues of the guru, yidam, and dakini, you should take refuge again and again. By taking refuge in the guru, obstacles are cleared away. By taking refuge in the yidam, the body of mahamudra3 will be attained. By taking refuge in the dakini, you will receive the siddhis.
Lady Tsogyal asked Master Padma: With which virtues is the inner way of taking refuge endowed?
Master Padma replied: By taking refuge in the guru, you are protected from the fetters of conceptual mind. The hindrances of ignorance and stupidity are cleared away. The accumulation of insight and awareness is perfected, and you will receive the accomplishment of spontaneous realization.
By taking refuge in the yidam, you are protected from ordinary perception, the accumualtion of self-existing wisdom will be gathered, and the accomplishment of mahamudra will be attained.
By taking refuge in the dakini, you will be protected from obstacles and evil spirits. The impediment of the poverty of hungry ghosts is cleared away, the accumulation of detachment and freedom from clinging will be perfected, and the accomplishment of the sambhogakaya of great bliss will be attained.
Lady Tsogyal asked Master Padma: What is the actual practice of the inner way of taking refuge?
The master replied: You should first arouse the aspiration toward unexcelled enlightenment. Then visualize the guru, yidam, and dakini upon seats of sun, moon, and lotus in the sky before you and say three times:
Root of the lineage, lord guru,
Originator of the siddhis, yidam deity,
Bestower of excellent blessings, dakini,
I pay homage to the three roots.
Following that, focus your mind undistractedly upon the guru, yidam, and dakini and repeatedly say:
I take refuge in the guru, yidam, and dakini.
Then supplicate as follows:
All gurus, yidams, and dakinis, please bestow upon me the blessings of your body, speech, and mind!
Please confer the empowerments upon me! Please grant me the supreme and common siddhis! Please extend your kindness to me, your devoted child!
Following that, dissolve the guru into the top of your head, the yidam into your heart center, and the dakini into your navel center.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: What is the method of taking the inner refuge vow?
The master replied: The ceremony of first taking the refuge vow is as follows. It is important to have received empowerment. Obtaining the empowerment itself is the receiving of refuge. If you do take refuge without receiving empowerment, then make prostrations to and circumambulate the guru, present him with flowers, and say:
Master, please listen to me. Assembly of yidam deities, gathering of mandala deities, dakinis, and retinue, please listen to me. From this very moment until attaining the supreme vidyadhara level of mahamudra, I, ______, take refuge in the root of the lineage, all the sublime and holy gurus.
I take refuge in the source of accomplishment, all the assemblies of yidam deities.
I take refuge in the bestowers of excellent blessings,