A Note on Refuge in Vedic and Pāli Texts

Abstract

In this exploratory note I consider a few examples of refuge motifs in vedic and Pāli texts, including examples of the vedic motif of triple refuge. Concerned more with questions and suggestions than with defini-tive answers, the following is an attempt to think through some of the implications of “refuge” and “going for refuge” as these ideas appear in a selection of ancient and more recent texts.