Bidding Farewell to 2022: Faith in Buddhism

 What is faith in Buddhism? For many people, it means believing in a higher power, or God-entity, someone who can save us.... whatever that "saving" means. The latter may differ from religion to religion. 

Are Buddhists supposed to have faith or develop faith in the Triple Gem (consisting of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)? Or, are we supposed to have faith only in the Buddha? For example, having faith in Amitabha Buddha. 

Nay, in a way, we don't have faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We take refuge in them. Are these two terms referring to the same thing. Slightly different. Taking refuge in the Triple Gem means we not just merely believe in the Triple Gem but rather putting in practice what is taught in the Dharma (i.e. the Fourth Nobe Truth) because we have the confidence that our practice will indeed lead us to the Third Noble Truth, which is the end of suffering). 

So, that is what I interpret as "Faith in Buddhism", which is NOT about the saving powers of the Buddhas. This may differ from other religions, whereby only by having faith in their God or their prophets, they may gain deliverance. Nope, not even having faith in Amitabha's Vows will it gain us the Third Noble Truth. However, having faith in the Amitabha's Vows will result in being "reborn" in Amitabha's Pure Land (whatever and however this is interpreted as, is for another post, not here). But not directly gain the Third Noble Truth. We will then practice the Dharma while in the Pure Land. Therefore, it still falls upon us to do the necessary PRACTICE (to rid ourselves of the causes of suffering (the Second Noble Truth). AND I must say, practicing in the Pure Land of the Buddhas are certainly much more conducive than anywhere else. That is why it is so important to have faith in Amitabha's Vows. As long as we don't practice the Dharma, that is as long as we will continue to suffer (which is the First Noble Truth). 

Nonetheless, faith is a very important part of any religious practice. It is the source of ALL BLESSINGS! It may not liberate us from Samsara, but it can lessen our pain in times of great suffering, smoothen our path during our life's journey, and be the anchor when we are tossed and thrown about in the great ocean of SAMSARA. Therefore, to have faith, particularly towards the right objects of faith, will facilitate the accomplishment of our spiritual practice!  

With these words, I bid farewell to Year 2022, and hope for the best for 2023 for all sentient beings! 2022 had been very difficult and challenging year for me personally. Thankfully I ended the year on a more hopeful note. But the silver lining of the difficulties had been the opportunity to deepen my understanding of meditation practice. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!  

#faith #fournobletruths #PureLandBuddhism #meditation 

You may want to explore this post about how I greeted Year 2007 at Bodhgaya, India - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2007/02/part-11-saving-saddam-hussein-at.html

P/S:

While I was writing this blogpost, something happened to my prayer altar. The urn where I placed the burning joss-sticks, somehow the end of the joss-sticks (sort of the "butt" or the wooden legs") got burnt altogether. And in the end, my urn looks so fresh, it's like renewed. It looks so clean now. I take this incident as a positive sign, of burning away of my negativities and offering new fresh hope for me and the world at large! Keeping my fingers crossed!