I. What is Taking Refuge?一、何謂皈依

To enter the True Buddha School and practise the True Buddha Dharma, one must first take refuge and receive initiation. This formally marks one's entry into the practice — much like a student who must complete the enrolment process to be recognised as an official student, rather than merely attending as a listener.

要進入「真佛宗」修持「真佛密法」，一定要先皈依，接受灌頂，這樣才算正式入門。就像學校學生，要經過「註冊」手續，才是正式的學生，不然就只是「旁聽」而已。

Taking refuge means to "return to," "rely upon," and "be delivered by." Taking refuge in the Vajra Master, in the Buddha, in the Dharma, and in the Sangha — these are known as the Four Refuges.

皈依就是「皈向」、「依靠」、「救度」的意思，皈依金剛上師、皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧，稱為「四皈依」。

Refuge in the Vajra Master — because the Vajra Master has personally verified all that the Buddha taught, is free of doubt and affliction, and has transcended birth and death. Being guided by the Master, one cannot go astray.

皈依「金剛上師」，是因為金剛上師，親自證明佛所說的一切，已無疑惑、煩惱，並且超越了生死，由上師教導引度，就沒有錯誤。

Refuge in the Buddha — because the Buddha is the fully awakened one, whose wisdom is true and clear. Learning from the Buddha, one cannot err.

皈依十方三世一切「佛」，是因為佛是大覺大悟的覺者，其智慧是真知灼見，所以向佛學習，就沒有錯誤。

Refuge in the True Dharma — the Dharma is the truth realised by the Buddha. By deeply studying Buddhist principles and sincerely practising the True Buddha Dharma, one can transcend the ordinary and enter the sacred.

皈依三藏十二部「正法」，正法就是佛所覺悟的道理，我們深入研究佛理，實修真佛密法，就可以達到超凡入聖的境地。

Refuge in the Holy Sangha — the holy monks and nuns are propagators of the Dharma and our teachers. We should learn from them and seek their guidance.

皈依「聖賢僧」，聖賢僧是弘揚佛法者，也是我們的導師，我們要向他們（聖賢）學習及請教。

II. The Refuge Master二、皈依師父

The root lineage master of the True Buddha School is Living Buddha Lian-Shen, Grand Master Sheng-Yen Lu. Living Buddha Lian-Shen has practised Taoism and all four major traditions of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, attaining the achievement of the Rainbow Light Deathless Body and possessing great spiritual powers. His refuge disciples now number over five million worldwide, encompassing people of Chinese, American, Indonesian, European and many other backgrounds, with more than two hundred ordained monastic disciples. Among his refuge disciples are heads of state, Tibetan Living Buddhas, as well as people from all walks of life — all coming to take refuge and learn the Dharma, to liberate themselves from the afflictions of birth and death.

真佛宗根本傳承上師，是「蓮生活佛盧勝彥」。蓮生活佛修持道家、藏密四大教派，得虹光不死成就，有大神通力。目前皈依弟子，遍布全世界，有中國人、美國人、印尼人、歐洲人…，已達五百餘萬人，依止出家法師二百餘位。皈依弟子中，上自國家總統、西藏活佛，下至販夫走卒、三教九流，皆來皈依學法，了脫生死煩惱。

III. The Benefits of Initiation三、灌頂利益

For those newly taking refuge, the initiation received is a "karmic connection initiation," which allows one to begin practising the Four Preliminary Practices and the Guru Yoga. Tantric Buddhist initiation carries immense merit — through this initiation, an ordinary person is instantly elevated to the status of a child of the Buddha. It also signifies that all Buddhas, in their great compassion, have given their seal of recognition, formally admitting the practitioner and establishing them as a "future Buddha" who will cultivate to complete fulfilment through their own practice.

初皈依者，所受的灌頂，是「結緣灌頂」，可以開始修持四加行、上師相應法。佛教密宗的灌頂，有很大的功德，這一灌頂，就將凡夫俗子，一下子提昇為佛子。亦表示諸佛大慈大悲，已給予印記印心，正式入門，是自行修至圓滿的「後補佛」。

Tantric Buddhism places the greatest importance on "lineage transmission" and the "lineage blessing power" of the master. Without the blessing power of a lineage, practising Tantric Dharma will absolutely yield no response. For any person wishing to enter the True Buddha School and learn the True Buddha Dharma, it is essential to receive refuge and initiation from a Vajra Acharya who establishes the ritual altar — only then is the karmic connection truly complete.

密法最重視「傳承」，也最重視上師的「傳承加持力」，若無傳承加持力，修持密法絕對無法相應。而一般人要入「真佛宗」，學習「真佛密法」，就必須由金剛阿闍黎，設立壇場，進行灌頂的儀式。「真佛宗」的同修道場，歡迎大家旁聽及學習，但要真正的入門學法修行，一定要受皈依及灌頂才算因緣具足。

IV. How to Take Refuge with Living Buddha Lian-Shen四、如何皈依蓮生活佛，取得真佛宗傳承

Regardless of one's religious background or beliefs, anyone may take refuge in the True Buddha School and learn the True Buddha Dharma.

無論對任何宗教，有無信仰者，皆可皈依「真佛宗」，學習「真佛密法」。

1. Receive initiation and refuge directly from Living Buddha Lian-Shen, who will issue a refuge certificate in person.
2. Receive initiation through a True Buddha School Vajra Master in your area, who acts on behalf of the Grand Master to perform the initiation and handle the refuge procedures, issuing the refuge certificate on his behalf.
3. Remote initiation by correspondence — those wishing to take refuge need only, on the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month, face east (the direction of the rising sun) at 7:00 AM and respectfully recite the Four Refuge Mantra three times, bowing once after each recitation (three bows in total):
   
   Then write your full name, address and age, enclose a voluntary offering, and indicate in your letter that you are "seeking refuge and initiation." Send it to the True Buddha Tantric Quarter. The refuge certificate will be mailed to you upon processing.
4. Grand Master's address:

1. 由蓮生活佛親自灌頂皈依，發給皈依證書。
2. 由各地代師弘法的真佛宗金剛上師，代師灌頂並辦理皈依手續，代發皈依證書。
3. 寫信「遙灌頂皈依」：欲皈依之弟子，只要在農曆初一或十五日，清晨七時，面向東方（太陽昇起的方向），恭唸四皈依咒三遍，每唸一遍禮拜一次，共三拜。再將自己的真實姓名、住址、年齡，附上隨喜供養費用，信中註明是「求皈依灌頂」，寄到「真佛密苑」，而後皈依者將收到「皈依證書」。
4. 真佛密苑地址：