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Faith in Buddhahood

WillWill
edited January 2008 in Buddhism Basics
Faith & belief are often considered not part of or irrelevant or even hostile to the Buddhadharma. This is not so, as this excellent teaching by Thanissaro Bhikkhu shows.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/faithinawakening.html

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited December 2007
    Oh, and hello.... again!
    No, I'm not stalking you... we just frequent the same high-class gin-joints - !!
  • starstuffstarstuff
    edited January 2008
    Will wrote: »
    Faith & belief are often considered not part of or irrelevant or even hostile to the Buddhadharma. This is not so, as this excellent teaching by Thanissaro Bhikkhu shows.

    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/faithinawakening.html


    Faith, yes, but a much healthier and more testable type of faith than is often implied by the word in Western circles. I agree though, Buddhism does involve some measure of faith.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited January 2008
    How could a person, before enlightenment, take refuge in the Triple Jewel unless they had confidence (faith) that there was a Buddha, is a Dharma and a Sangha? Why practise to experience nirvana if we have no faith in it, because, as the Buddha was at pains to point out, it cannot be described? We would not have set out on this journey unless, at the start, we have intimations of faith to guide us? We have to b elieve that living according to the precepts is a better way than another. This is faith. And our continuing on the path is faithfulness.

    If we are not faithful to the Dharma and to our practice of ahimsa and benevolence, mindfulness and the Path, we shall not arrive.
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2008
    Simonthepilgrim wrote: »
    How could a person, before enlightenment, take refuge in the Triple Jewel unless they had confidence (faith) that there was a Buddha, is a Dharma and a Sangha? Why practise to experience nirvana if we have no faith in it, because, as the Buddha was at pains to point out, it cannot be described? We would not have set out on this journey unless, at the start, we have intimations of faith to guide us? We have to b elieve that living according to the precepts is a better way than another. This is faith. And our continuing on the path is faithfulness.

    If we are not faithful to the Dharma and to our practice of ahimsa and benevolence, mindfulness and the Path, we shall not arrive.

    PILGRIM:
    How Succinct. Perfect. Who else could put it that simply and that elegantly?

    Thanks!
  • mouthfulofclaymouthfulofclay
    edited January 2008
    I'm sure this is totally not the point, but:

    I have to have faith in myself that I can keep practicing.

    For some reason that is funny.
  • srivijayasrivijaya
    edited January 2008
    Didn't have any at the start - I listened to the teachings, read stuff etc. then thought it sounds okay, so I'll give it a shot. When you get some results, you don't need faith any more, unless you really want something to hang on to.:winkc:
  • starstuffstarstuff
    edited January 2008
    srivijaya wrote: »
    Didn't have any at the start - I listened to the teachings, read stuff etc. then thought it sounds okay, so I'll give it a shot. When you get some results, you don't need faith any more, unless you really want something to hang on to.:winkc:

    It does help to get some immediate results.
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited January 2008
    Yes, it sure does!
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2008
    "Dear Lord, grant me patience - but fer chrissakes, hurry up.....!"
  • WillWill
    edited January 2008
    Here is an outline of Buddhist faith:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddha
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited January 2008
    Of course one must have faith when one starts out on the path, just as one must have faith when one starts kindergarten that one will receive an education in school or that when one sticks the key in the ignition the engine will turn over. That seems almost to go without saying, donnit?

    Palzang
  • WillWill
    edited January 2008
    Here is a short article by Bhikkhu Bodhi on faith & the other indriyas:

    http://www.buddhistinformation.com/five_spiritual_faculties.htm
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