bridif1 wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 5:30 amHi Saddha!Saddhā wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 5:09 am A hypothesis can be confirmed as being certain and true in rare circumstances and so becomes a fact. The spherical Earth hypothesis being one of them.
I don’t say that rebirth and kamma post death is certain and true, but I have confidence that such things exist. I will only say it’s true when I know for myself.
That would be a false interpretation.
What does it mean to have confidence in the existence of something?
It means that you 'believe' its existence is real/true?
Is this "belief" part of the Path?
If so, how does that "belief" helps to cultivate and develop the Path?
Kind regards!
It means I take it as a working hypothesis, as something I take to be potentially true and so I orient my life around (akin to how I orient my life around Nibbana) yet I don’t say it is true and certain, everything else is worthless. It means I accept I could be wrong and that I won’t declare otherwise until I know for myself since to do so is to overreach and to lie.
Saddha (faith) is a vital spiritual quality. It is faith that starts us upon the path and sustains us through until we know for ourselves, but said faith isn’t blind. As I said, it’s not a declaration that “this is true”. It is “i trust the Buddha but I don’t know yet so it could be false”.
“"And what is the individual who is a conviction-follower? There is the case where a certain individual does not remain touching with his body those peaceful liberations that transcend form, that are formless, nor — having seen with discernment — are his fermentations ended. But he has a [sufficient] measure of conviction in & love for the Tathagata. And he has these qualities: the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, & the faculty of discernment. This is called an individual who is a conviction-follower. Regarding this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness. Why is that? [I think:] 'Perhaps this venerable one, when making use of suitable resting places, associating with admirable friends, balancing his [mental] faculties, will reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now.' Envisioning this fruit of heedfulness for this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness.
"Monks, I do not say that the attainment of gnosis is all at once. Rather, the attainment of gnosis is after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice. And how is there the attainment of gnosis after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice? There is the case where, when conviction has arisen, one visits [a teacher]. Having visited, one grows close. Having grown close, one lends ear. Having lent ear, one hears the Dhamma. Having heard the Dhamma, one remembers it. Remembering, one penetrates the meaning of the teachings. Penetrating the meaning, one comes to an agreement through pondering the teachings. There being an agreement through pondering the teachings, desire arises. When desire has arisen, one is willing. When one is willing, one contemplates. Having contemplated, one makes an exertion. Having made an exertion, one realizes with the body the ultimate truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees it.[10]
"Now, monks, there hasn't been that conviction, there hasn't been that visiting, there hasn't been that growing close ... that lending ear ... that hearing of the Dhamma ... that remembering ... that penetration of the meaning of the teachings ... that agreement through pondering the teachings ... that desire ... that willingness ... that contemplation ... that exertion. You have lost the way, monks. You have gone the wrong way, monks. How far have you strayed, foolish men, from this Dhamma & Discipline!”
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Buddhadasa was not a Secular Buddhist