Master of Buddhism: lesson 3 (assignment)

Master of Buddhism: lesson 3 1.    Could the fact that the Dharma wasn't written by the Buddha himself be problematic? If so, in what ways? This could or could not be particularly important, depending on your perspective. If the person of the original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, as being the source of truth is seen as important, then the fact of the Dharma not being written by him would be problematic.  However, if we look at the spirit of Buddhism – that Buddhahood is within everyone's reach – then the words of a certain historical person become less important. The Buddha Nature could be equally present in later Buddhists as it was in Siddhartha Gautama. 2.    Imagine you are preparing to go for refuge. What necessary changes would you need to make in your life first? Giving up meat altogether, for one, and minimizing alcohol consumption. Also getting my thoughts under control (just to name a few!) 3.    When going for refuge, are you relying on forces outside of yourself for peace of mind, or are the Three Jewels ultimately found inside yourself? Even though taking refuge is expressed in terms of seemingly outside entities, ultimately enlightenment must come from within – refuge with our inner Buddha. J.P. Amis