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| From: (Anonymous) |
Date: December 21st, 2005 10:03 am (UTC) |
| (Link) |
Re: Disliked Words - 'Faith'
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Faith
There are two kinds of 'faith'.
'Faith' grounded on blind belief leads to sceptical doubt and is based on ignorance.
'Faith' grounded on reasoning and understanding leads to confidence and is based upon wisdom.
In Western Culture, 'Sceptical Doubt' is seen as a morally wholesome understanding. However, it is grounded upon Nihilism. Buddhism has nothing to do with European Existentialism and is not nihilistic.
In Buddhism, 'Sceptical Doubt' (Vicikiccha) is one of the 5 Mental Hindrances that disrupt Concentration, (Samadhi). 'Samadhi' is 'Atonement'; not in the sense of 'atoning' for your sins', but in the harmonious sense of being at one with your ambient universe: 'At-one-ment'. Buddhist Meditation is practised for Mental Culture, to purify the mind of cankers. In Buddhism, the (5) Hindrances (Nivarana)are qualities which are obstacles to the mind and blind our mental vision. They dissipate our concentration and splinter our ambient universe, lead to mental agitation and mental dullness: Ignorance (Avijja). Ignorance means nescient, unknowing, and is synonymous with delusion. Ignorance is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling man's mental eyes and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things.
Sceptical doubt is one of 10 Fetters tying beings to the wheel of existence. In Buddhism, 'sceptical doubt' refers to sceptical doubt about the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and the Training; about things past and future, and conditionality. It also applies to uncertainty about whether things are unwholesome or not, to be practised or not, of high or low value. 'Sceptical doubt' also refers to a lack of desire to think things out to reach a conclusion. It has the nature of wavering, and its manifestation is indecision and a divided attitude. Its immediate cause is unwise attention to matters of doubt. It is associated with 2 classes of unwholesome consciousness, and is rooted in delusion.
'Blind Faith' is discouraged in Buddhism because it is unwholesome. The Buddha taught that no-one should believe what they have read or been told, not even if the information had come from a teacher or the Buddha himself. Rather, the Buddha taught that you should reason received information out for yourself and come to your own conclusion about it.
European Existentialism is generally opposed to rationalist and empiricist doctrines that assume that the universe is a determined, ordered system intelligible to the contemplative observer who can discover the natural laws that govern all beings and the role of reason as the power guiding human activity. European Existentialism is nihilistic.
'Dhamma' has several senses. Dhamma is the Teaching of the Buddha. It is also the (Natural) Law. In Buddhism the two things that govern human activity are the Dhamma (Natural Law), and 'Kamma' (Karma), Action. They share a logical relationship. The Natural Law is constant, Kamma is variable. In Buddhism, a man is said to be the architect of his own future. If he develops Kamma in violation of the Natural Law, he will develop Negative Kamma, which is morally unwholesome. If he develops Kamma in harmony with the Natural Law, he will develop Positive Kamma, which is morally wholesome.
The implication for an individual is that whilst his future kamma may be negative, he does not have to blindly accept it. He can change his kamma by carrying out wholesome activities. In Buddhism, it is recognized that an ordinary human being will need qualified teaching to do this. A qualified teacher of the BuddhaDhamma is called an Arahat. An Arahat is not bound to the Wheel of Existence. An Arahat is a liberated, Supramundane Human Being. An Arahat does not develop Kamma.
The person that would willfully develop unwholesome Kamma to change his positive kamma is considered to be a fool in Buddhism.
'Faith' (Saddha) grounded on reasoning and understanding, that promotes confidence leading to wisdom is wholesome. Its development and perfection is strove for in Buddhism.
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