Shraadh - Faith Is Not Blind

Faith Is Not Blind

In the Buddhadharma, faith is not "blind" for it "sees" with the heart of devotion. It betokens faith in the reliability of the Buddha as a truly awakened spiritual friend and faith, conviction and confidence in the three jewels (triratna).

In the Kalama Sutta the Buddha himself argues against simply following authority, tradition or specious reasoning. Even though one's own experience is emphasized in accepting Buddha and Buddhism, however, one should always depend upon the counsel of the wise, implicitly meaning a Buddha or a Buddhist master well versed in Dhamma. Hence there remains a requirement for a degree of trusting confidence in Buddhism, essentially in the authority of Buddha, based on his spiritual attainment and saving knowledge.

Faith in Buddhism is expressed in the act of taking refuge. In this, it centres on the authority of Buddha as a supremely awakened being, by assenting to his unsurpassed role as teacher of both humans and gods. It also honors the truth of his spiritual Doctrine (Dharma), and accepts the community of spiritually developed followers (saṅgha). Faith in Buddhism can be said to function as a form of motor, which propels the Buddhist practitioner towards the goal of awakening (bodhi) and nirvana.

In Buddhism, faith is only one part of five characteristics that a Noble disciple must possess. In other words, in Buddhism faith is qualified. Blind faith is especially not treated well. In Sutta 44 (iv, 220), Buddha questions Sariputta to which Sariputta answers, "Herein, O Lord, I do not follow the Exalted One out of faith. Those by whom this is unknown, unseen, uncognized, unrealized and unexperienced by wisdom, they will herein follow others out of faith." In other words, in blind faith there is no knowledge or conviction, and one can have blind faith in anyone and such blind faith never leads to wisdom and true conviction. Only the actual experience of regular practice can lead to true faith and conviction born out of realization. "But those by whom this is known, seen, cognized, realized and experienced by wisdom, they have no uncertainty, no doubt about it that these five faculties, if cultivated and regularly practiced, lead to the Deathless, are bound for the Deathless, end in the Deathless."

In conclusion, faith in the Theravāda tradition is generally confidence based on first-hand understanding of a concept - especially in the primary texts as faith in the reality of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha or in the Pāli commentaries as:

• faith in the working of the law of karma
• faith in the consequences of actions
• faith in the individual ownership of actions, and;
• faith in the reality of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha .