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Bodhi Chat : :: Buddhist General Discussion :: General Discussion :: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not Known
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GhanaBhuti
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Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not Known
« Thread Started on Feb 29, 2004, 3:10am »


Faith in Buddhism
What is it - What is Not Known?



Hi Folks,

Nana asked a good question at the end of Buddhist Discussion last night about "What part does Faith play in Dharma practice?"

This is an excellent question and one that might inspire some good comments from everyone.

I look forward to your replies.

May your journey be gentle,

Namaste and Shanti,

GhanaBhuti

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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #1 on Feb 29, 2004, 5:53pm »
Nana asked a good question at the end of Buddhist Discussion last night about "What part does Faith play in Dharma practice?" Ghana

Call me Claudia, [not Ishmael, lol,....]. 8-)
That conversation has affected me in a positive way, GB, it was most stimulating, i appreciated the opportunity to participate, ask, learn, speak up.
Ray, i am sorry you missed it; it was "smokin'" as we warmed to the subject.
I have been introspecting on the issue. So far in my maundering discovering that faith is not relevant to my lived path within the Teachings.
Buddhadharma is based on understanding [not faith it is so, but UNDERSTANDING, an important distinction], of the impermanence of all things, yet on balance, stopping short of nihilistic despair.
For me as a practitioner, to nurture faith would be akin to winding my watch on the way to the gallows or running when my hair is on fire.
This is NOT nihilism speaking, it is my understanding of the reality of the nature of things.
I continue to introspect with an open mind.
Thoughts, anyone?



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In gassho,
Claudia
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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #2 on Mar 6, 2004, 10:41am »
Hi Claudia - yes, I'm totally in sync with the view that faith has nothing to do with the Dharma. The Dharma is all about Reality and learning how to see it, that's all. There's no need to believe anything, there's just a need to learn how to look at what is there. For similar reasons, I take the same point of view as I do for faith on things like Buddhist customs, rituals, robes and all the other Dharma hoopla that man has felt a need to attach to the Dharma over a long, long period of time. I prefer instead to follow the same instructions I give to my dog: Sit! Stay!

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GhanaBhuti
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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #3 on Mar 12, 2004, 1:24am »
Hi Folks,

Here are a few quotes from the Dalai Lama on Faith. The first is from an interview he did a few years back and the other two are from books.

HHDL on Faith


"There are two kinds of Buddhist faith. In the scriptures, also, this is mentioned. One faith is faith which is completely relying on someone, for example, someone saying Buddhism is good--just relying on that. That, the scriptures say, is not at all reliable, not genuine faith. The other faith is where in the beginning one remains skeptical. You study, investigate, experiment, then gain some understanding. Faith which comes from that understanding is genuine faith. We should have that kind of faith."

from http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1998/4/1998-4-10.shtml


"As our understanding and faith in the Dharma grows, we develop an appreciation for the Sangha, the individuals, both past and present, who have attained such states of freedom from suffering. We can then conceive of the possibility of a being who has attained total freedom from the negative aspects of mind: a Buddha. And as our recognition of the miserable nature of life develops, so does our appreciation of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha- the Three Jewels in which we seek shelter. This intensifies our quest for their protection."
-HHDL, from An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life

"Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind. Religion has much involvement with faith. Sometimes it seems that there is quite a distance between a way of thinking based on faith and one entirely based on experiment, remaining skeptical. Unless you find something through investigation, you do not want to accept it as fact. From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to share, and to a certain extent we can work together."
- The Dalai Lama: A Policy of Kindness

I suppose the question then becomes, 'How does the type of faith compare to our usual definitions?'

Namaste and Shanti,

GhanaBhuti

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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #4 on Apr 15, 2004, 6:26am »
:)To me, as a Theravadin, the answer is simple. It is faith in yourself.

Peter
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Kenneth Maher
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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #5 on Apr 15, 2004, 10:23pm »

Quote:
:)To me, as a Theravadin, the answer is simple. It is faith in yourself.

Peter


[Font=georgia]Could you clarfiy what you mean by that?

BTW welcome to our little community. We started it a little over a month ago, it's been gradually picking up pace, it's nice to have some new blood. Perhaps you'd take a moment and post something in the introductions folder to let us know who you are.

Kenneth [/size]
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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #6 on May 2, 2005, 6:17pm »
for the sake of philosophy classes ( i got my degree in religion and had to take many of these) faith is defined as belief without logical argumentation.

if you use that definition, then there really is no faith in religion because religious people have a myriad of reasons that they believe in their religion.

for the sake of the question, i will not answer it according to this definition. i will say that there is no faith involved in the dharma. why? because the proof that the dharma is true lies in the beauty of everyday. sometimes you just need to wipe your glasses to see it, but wiping your glasses is not an act of faith.
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Re: Faith in Buddhism - What is it - What is not K
« Reply #7 on May 25, 2005, 12:08am »
I say that the only faith involved is the faith that you will find enlightenment. But even then, I don't have faith I'll reach enlightenment, but I KNOW that I will come to a better understanding of myself and a little better understanding aboout life and the world.
The only way I see faith really involved is if you believe in reincarnation. Yet renincarnation, seems to me to be a logical conclusion about the afterlife, more so then heaven and hell.
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