Aspiring to Awaken,
We have reason
To step onto this
Spiritual Path,
We ignite our innate
Limitless Power,
Discovering who we are,
From beginningless beginnings,
Doing whatever we can,
We take Refuge,
Lovingly,
Compassionately,
Fearlessly,
We do so
With Pure Motivation,
We hold this Awakening
As our most
Precious Jewel,
We find reason
To never give up,
We confidently remain
Faithfully,
Diligently,
Devoted to this
Indescribable
Opening of our
Heart and Mind,
Opening to what is,
As it is.
A poem by Robert Aho © 2026
Our first step on the Spiritual Path is in having a truly genuine commitment to Awakening. If we do not begin with that, then there is no point. Many people in Buddhism regard the first step on the Path as taking Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, or the Enlightened Teacher, His Teachings and the Spiritual Community. This seems to be a mistake in my mind. Having a vague understanding of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, then committing to that doesn’t seem to be very useful, in that it doesn’t create a foundation. We must, before anything else, Aspire to Awaken. Without that strong foundation, we are very likely to give up before we even begin. I’ve seen this happen many times.
Refuge, as explained by various Buddhist teachers, begins with having a fear of suffering. With this approach, we fearfully turn to the safety of the Buddha, His Teachings, and the Community of those who have also taken refuge. It is superficially understood that this commitment will lead to a condition where we no longer suffer. Refuge is a very good thing; however, by starting with fear as our motivation, we are not really building a foundation for ourselves that can last. Fear is a pretty shaky emotion. We need a strong foundation.
Buddha Shakyamuni began by Aspiring to Awaken. His first step on the Spiritual Path was one where he decided that he would Awaken no matter what, even if it cost him his own life. It was a fearless decision that he made after observing the futility of the world, after seeing all the terrible suffering, while knowing that even the power of a great emperor, which was his birthright, could do nothing about it. His commitment to Awaken was one of great love and compassion. He decided to do the only thing possible that would help his loved ones and the rest of the world.
When we really look at our Aspiration to Awaken, we see that it begins with great love and compassion. In this, the first step on the Spiritual Path is the same as the last step. We begin with what is referred to as Bodhicitta, Aspiring Awakening for ourselves; and, then we grow our capacity to benefit all beings. We open Heart and Mind completely, removing obstacles. This matures in time, eventually becoming full Enlightenment.
With a strong Aspiration to Awaken, we eventually discover that refuge cannot be something external. The teacher may not be as genuine as we had hoped. We might misconstrue the teachings that we encounter. We might find ourselves in a Spiritual Community that is not always supportive. External obstacles may abound.
If we begin with a strong Aspiration to Awaken, it won’t matter if we ever get disappointed or disillusioned. With a strong foundation, we can encounter any situation and it will not matter. We’ve ignited an indestructible spark.
Understand clearly, I’m not saying that a person would not benefit from Refuge, even though the Buddha Himself did not take Refuge. I’m saying that the most important thing is to Aspire to Awaken. Our own motivation creates the first step, which leads to full fruition. That spark of Bodhicitta is an act of love and compassion that is the same as Ultimate Reality. All the Buddhas of the past, present and future have this spark in common.
When we take Refuge, it is best that we do so, not out of fear or mere curiosity, but out of this firm commitment we have to Awakening. When we begin with the proper intention and motivation, we immediately bring countless blessings to all. To do this properly, we must create something indestructible within our own lives, even if we don’t yet know what that is. The Aspiration to Awaken is actually indescribable, even though we can do so with concepts and belief. We just need to know that we have created causes and conditions for our life that will bring us to understanding what has eluded us for all eternity. Bodhicitta, united with Refuge, becomes a great supernatural power that we can take from one lifetime to the next.
When I first took Refuge, I did so quietly, without ceremony, while sitting in an audience in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Later, I took these vows formally from other teachers of mine. It was clear to me right from the start that my Aspiration to Awaken would provide the basis that I needed for all Spiritual Practice. It eventually got me through terrible obstacles and traumas. This helped me to discover the Nature of Mind, and that the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha were within me. Since I had Aspired to Awaken, death was no problem.
Blessings of Source,
Rigdzin Robert Aho
Robert Aho is the author of Timeless Luminosity and The Frog: A Spiritual Autobiography, Spanning Many Lifetimes. Both books, written after his death experience, give advanced spiritual advice regarding the complete Spiritual Path, inspiration for living each day and words of encouragement, with the intention of helping people to stay committed to their Spiritual Path, as well as preparing for death. This ultimately leads to discovering your own unlimited power within, which leads to Awakening. Both books are available on Amazon, Zenith Bookstore, as well as various other sources.