Epstein, Ron2019-09-252019-09-252014-03-131999-02http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/202589The historical Buddha Shakyamuni denied the divine authority of the Brahmins, the Hindu priestly class. He set up a system of taking refuge with the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) in which a member of the Buddhist monastic community becomes the representative of the Three Jewels and the teacher of individual lay Buddhists. He also set up lineages of enlightened masters, who were entrusted with the task of carrying on the authentic teachings.engWith permission of the license/copyright holderhistorical Buddha ShakyamuniBuddhist monasticceremony in HinduismReligious ethicsSpirituality and ethicsMethods of ethicsTheological ethicsPhilosophical ethicsComparative religion and interreligious dialogueGeneral theology/otherArticle