The Question of Faith is a place where we discuss our personal thoughts, issues, and even doubts on faith and spirituality in our lives. Check back here often. There's always something new about the complicated role of faith in Buddhist life.
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What is Faith?
What is faith? On the surface it may look like blind trust. The skeptic looks at spirituality and only sees people indulging in wishful thinking about things they can’t see.But if you’ve ever been touched by the spirit, you know it’s not that simple. Faith is the opposite of blind trust. It’s something in the human heart that knows in the deepest and most intimate sense that there is something eternal and that this is profoundly connected with human beings.
To honor this simple truth, all the religions of the world were created. They differ on many issues. And yet they all agree that there is a divine presence in the world and that humans honor this presence best by leading meaningful and ethical lives.
For a Buddhist, faith has a great deal to do with knowledge. The Buddha taught his disciples not to take anything on blind trust, but to test everything for themselves including the Buddha’s own teachings. What does faith mean for one who feels the truth of the Buddha’s message? We invite your thoughts and insights.