The Buddha’s instruction on this is given in the Kalama Sutta. We are to believe what we see clearly for ourselves to be the case. Now it is necessary to understand what is meant by the expression ‘seeing clearly’. It means seeing clearly without using reasoning, without speculating and without making assumptions. This is seeing clearly.
We can see what is meant here from the following question: ‘Why are we warned not to believe the Tripitaka (the Buddhist Canon), not to believe a teacher, not to believe what is reported or rumoured, not to believe what has been reasoned out, not to believe what has been arrived at by means of logic?’ Blind credulity is foolish. Suppose we were to open the Tripitaka, read a passage and then believe it without thinking about it, testing or criticizing it? This would be foolish credulity. The Buddha condemned this.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
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Categories: Buddhist Library, Buddhist meditation, Dharma Read, Everyday Buddhist, Foundations of Buddhism
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