85-1402: [REDACTED] Look up shraddha in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Shraddha may refer to: In religion [ edit ] Śrāddha , a Hindu ritual performed for one's deceased ancestors Śraddhā, the Sanskrit term used to refer to faith in Buddhism , faith in Hinduism Given name [ edit ] Shraddha Arya (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Chavan (born 1988), Maharashtrian cricketer Shraddha Dangar (born 1994), Indian actress Shraddha Das (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Jadhav (born c.1964), Indian politician, mayor of Mumbai 2009–2012 Shraddha Kapoor (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Musale (born 1984), Indian actress Shraddha Nigam (born 1979), Indian actress Shraddha Pandit (born 1982), Indian playback singer Shraddha Ram , Hindu missionary Shraddha Sharma (born 1995), Indian singer Shraddha Shashidhar (born 1996), Indian beauty pageant winner Shraddha Srinath (born 1990), Indian film actress Other uses [ edit ] Shraddha (TV series) , an Indian soap opera , on air from 2009 to 2010 Shraddha TV ,
170-640: A moral life . However, in Mahāyāna Buddhism, the depth and range of teachings on faith intensified. A great number of powerful Buddhas and bodhisattvas became the focus of devotion and faith. Mahāyāna Buddhism expanded on the ideas found in some early Buddhist schools which saw the Buddha as being transcendent, a view which was common in the Mahāsāṃghika schools (especially in Lokottaravāda ). After
255-440: A Buddhist layman can go to heaven only by the strength of his faith in and love for the Buddha, yet in other passages faith is listed together with other virtues, such as morality, as qualities that lead the devotee to heaven. Regardless, faith is an important part of the ideal of Buddhist laypeople, as they are described to be in the habit of seeing the saṅgha, listening to their teachings, and most importantly, providing charity for
340-623: A Sri Lankan television station with Buddhist content Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation , an Indian non-profit organization Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Shraddha . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shraddha&oldid=1241809521 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
425-623: A Sri Lankan television station with Buddhist content Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation , an Indian non-profit organization Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Shraddha . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shraddha&oldid=1241809521 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
510-607: A bodhisattva's own efforts and merits ) and other-power (the Buddha's vast spiritual power). Some Pure Land teachers taught that bodhisattvas relied on their own merit and power to create Pure Lands and to reach the Pure lands of the Buddhas. On the other hand, other teachers (like Shandao) emphasized that practitioners should solely rely on their devotion to the Buddha Amitabha and the "other-power" of his vows. In Japanese Pure Land Buddhism,
595-574: A conviction one's own low nature; and finally, a desire to dedicate the merits accrued from doing good deeds to being born in the Pure Land where Amitābha Buddha was believed to live. These three were together known as 'singleness of heart' ( isshin ). Shinran further taught that such full faith would assure one's birth in the Pure Land, which meant their full enlightenment would be irreversibly assured (making one equal to Maitreya ). Shinran expanded on Hōnen's teaching, focusing further on faith. Since he
680-448: A critical approach in understanding the truth. Faith is not just a mental commitment to a set of principles, but also has an affective quality. Scholars in early Buddhism distinguish between faith as joy and serenity, raising the mind to a higher level; and faith as an energy producing self-confidence, required for dealing with temptations and for self-mastery. Because faith helps remove perplexity, it inspires and gives energy to
765-560: A distinction between the aspect of the mind which is faithful, and which is awakened by practising devotion and humility to the Buddha Amitābha , known as xinji (Chinese) or shinjin (Japanese); and the joy and confidence of being able to meet the Buddha Amitābha, known as xinfa (Chinese) or shingyō (Japanese). Pure Land traditions describe the awakening of faith as a transcendental experience beyond time, similar to
850-558: A form of realized faith is described. Therefore, the Buddha praises most of his disciples for their wisdom, rather than their faith. The exception to that, the monk Vakkali—praised by the Buddha as "the highest of those who had faith"—is also taught by the Buddha to concentrate on the teaching, rather than the Buddha's person. The Buddha admonishes his disciple Ānanda in a similar way. In the Pāli Canon , different approaches of faith are described. Developing faith in someone's person, even in
935-468: A higher value than saddhā . Saddhā deepens when someone progresses along the spiritual path, and early texts sometimes describe this as pasāda , and sometimes as bhakti . Pasāda is faith and attraction towards a teacher, but is accompanied by clarity of mind, placidity, and understanding. The practising disciple develops and stabilizes his faith, basing it on spiritual insight. This leads his faith to become "unshakeable". Thus, faith
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#17328477629661020-414: A new Japanese Pure Land Buddhism which eventually grew into their own separate Pure Land schools. They believed and taught that mindfully reciting the nembutsu would be enough to secure the faithful person's entrance to Amitabha's Pure Land. Although Hōnen had initially stated that often repeating the nembutsu would make salvation more certain, Shinran argued that the number of times the nembutsu
1105-469: A person holds a certain belief, they should not derive the conclusion "Only this is true, anything else is false," but instead "preserve the truth" with the awareness "This is my belief". Thus, the discourse criticizes, among others, divine revelation , tradition, and report, as leading to "groundless faith" and as being incomplete means of acquiring spiritual knowledge or truth. But in the Sandaka Sutta ,
1190-485: A person or a scripture. Scriptures have usually acted as guidance, and consensus about practices has come about through debate and discussion. Several terms are used in Buddhism for faith, which have both cognitive and affective aspects: Faith is usually related to the Triple Gem, that is the Buddha, the dharma (his teaching) and the saṅgha (the community). Thus, faith may often have certain individuals as its object, but
1275-465: A person, but exists in relation to Buddhist concepts like the efficacy of karma and the possibility of enlightenment . Faith in early Buddhism focused on the Triple Gem , that is: the Buddha; his teaching (the dharma ); and the community of spiritually developed followers or the monastic community seeking enlightenment (the saṅgha ). A faithful devotee was called an upāsaka or upāsika ,
1360-457: A role for a Buddha as a teacher of both humans and devās (heavenly beings). This often includes other Buddhas from the past, and Buddhas who have not yet arisen. Secondly, the taking of refuge honours the truth and efficacy of the Buddha's spiritual doctrine , on subjects including the characteristics of phenomenon ( saṅkhāra ) such as their impermanence ( anicca ), and the path to liberation. The taking of refuge ends with accepting
1445-400: A sense of equanimity . During the period of emperor Ashoka (third to second century BCE ), Buddhists placed more emphasis on faith, as Ashoka helped develop Buddhism as a popular religion to unify his empire. This new trend led to an increased worship of stūpas and an increase of Avadāna faith-based literature. In the second century CE , it became more common to depict
1530-512: A state preceding enlightenment. In the teachings of the Japanese Pure Land teacher Shinran , such experience of faith, which he called "the Light" ( kōmyō ) involved devotees not only feeling completely assured about the Buddha Amitābha as to his determination and wisdom to save them, but also feeling fully reliant on Amitābha because of their personal incapacity. The Lotus Sūtra , one of
1615-417: A status for which no formal initiation was required. Early Buddhism valued personal verification of spiritual truth as the best way to attain such truth, and in comparison considered sacred scriptures, reason, or faith in a teacher to be less valuable sources of authority. As important as faith was, it was merely a first step on the path to wisdom and enlightenment ; faith would become obsolete or redefined at
1700-672: A transcendent Buddha who had created a pure divine realm. The Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra describes the Buddha Amitābha as a monk who, practising under a Buddha in a previous age, vowed to create a land through his spiritual powers. Through this ideal land he would easily be able to guide many living beings to final enlightenment. He therefore vowed that once he had attained Buddhahood , just calling his name would be enough for living beings to be born in this Pure Land. Widespread in Japan, Korea, China, and Tibet, devotion to Amitābha arose in India around
1785-413: Is a lot of material in the early scriptures emphasizing how important faith is, but argues that "the growth of Buddhist rites and liturgies was surely a wholly unintended consequence of the Buddha's preaching". Since early Buddhism, devotees expressed their faith through the act of taking refuge, which is threefold . It centres on the authority of a Buddha as a supremely awakened being, by assenting to
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#17328477629661870-445: Is based on greed, hatred, and delusion and Buddhist devotees should consider such knowledge impartially and not blindly. However, it should not all be refuted either. They should find out whether a teaching is true by personal verification, distinguishing what leads to happiness and benefit, and what does not. Giving an example of such an approach, the Buddha states that the practice of abandoning greed, hatred, and delusion will benefit
1955-473: Is by itself not enough to attain deliverance, but is a first step on the path leading to wisdom and enlightenment. Many teachings in early Buddhism mention faith as the first step, wisdom as the last. On the last stage of the Buddhist path, the attainment of arahant , the practitioner has completely replaced faith by wisdom: the arahant no longer relies on faith at all, although at this stage sometimes
2040-1309: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages shraddha [REDACTED] Look up shraddha in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Shraddha may refer to: In religion [ edit ] Śrāddha , a Hindu ritual performed for one's deceased ancestors Śraddhā, the Sanskrit term used to refer to faith in Buddhism , faith in Hinduism Given name [ edit ] Shraddha Arya (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Chavan (born 1988), Maharashtrian cricketer Shraddha Dangar (born 1994), Indian actress Shraddha Das (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Jadhav (born c.1964), Indian politician, mayor of Mumbai 2009–2012 Shraddha Kapoor (born 1987), Indian actress Shraddha Musale (born 1984), Indian actress Shraddha Nigam (born 1979), Indian actress Shraddha Pandit (born 1982), Indian playback singer Shraddha Ram , Hindu missionary Shraddha Sharma (born 1995), Indian singer Shraddha Shashidhar (born 1996), Indian beauty pageant winner Shraddha Srinath (born 1990), Indian film actress Other uses [ edit ] Shraddha (TV series) , an Indian soap opera , on air from 2009 to 2010 Shraddha TV ,
2125-617: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Faith in Buddhism In Buddhism , faith ( saddhā , śraddhā ) refers to a serene commitment to the practice of the Buddha 's teaching, and to trust in enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or bodhisattvas (those aiming to become a Buddha). Buddhists usually recognize multiple objects of faith, but many are especially devoted to one in particular, such as one particular Buddha. Faith may not only be devotion to
2210-411: Is different from devotion in other Indian religions ( bhakti ) in that it is connected with impersonal objects such as the working of karma and the efficacy of merit transfer . It is seen to focus on or lead to a right view or understanding of the main aspects of the Buddha's teaching, such as the working of karma , merit and rebirth . Regarding the Triple Gem, faith focuses on and rejoices in
2295-401: Is for all religions worthy of the name". Indologist Richard Gombrich argues that Buddhism does not prescribe believing in someone or something to the extent of going against reason . He also believes the Buddha did not aim to create a religion that focuses on devotion to his person, though he recognizes that such devotion already started when the Buddha was still alive. He notes that there
2380-474: Is given its place in a hierarchy of usefulness, in which moral behaviour is much more highly regarded than rites and rituals. Faith is the consequence of impermanence and a wise perception of suffering ( dukkha ). Reflection on suffering and impermanence leads the devotees to a sense of fear and agitation ( saṃvega ), which motivates them to take refugee in the Triple Gem and to cultivate faith. Faith then leads to many other important mental qualities on
2465-549: Is included, and other early traditions also gave faith a prominent role, such as the Sarvāstivāda tradition. Moreover, early Buddhism describes faith as an important quality in stream-enterers , those who achieve a state preceding enlightenment. In standard descriptions of people going forth (taking ordination as a monk), faith is mentioned as an important motivation. Despite this role, some Indologists such as André Bareau and Lily De Silva believed early Buddhism did not assign
2550-470: Is one's faith in the compassionate power of the Buddha Amitābha , coupled with the earnest wish to enter his Pure Land, that is said to bring deliverance there. This Pure Land prepares the devotee for entry into awakening and Buddhahood . Pure Land Buddhism differed in many ways from most forms of Buddhism at the time, which were based on personal effort and techniques of self-mastery. Mahāyāna Buddhists considered Amitābha (Sanskrit: 'Limitless light') as
2635-465: Is the devotional or mystical aspect of faith. But there is also a rational aspect, in that the value of taking refuge is rooted in personal verification. In the discourse ( sutta ) called the Kalāma Sutta , the Buddha argues against following sacred authority, tradition, or a doctrine of logic, or respecting teachers for the mere fact that they are one's teachers. Knowledge coming from such sources
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2720-492: The nembutsu , Shinran held that faith could not be developed by practice since it was a gift granted by the grace of Amitabha Buddha. Another characteristic of the movement was its democratic nature: in some passages Shinran stated that "wicked" people have just as much chance of attaining to the Pure Land as "good" people, an idea similar to the Christian concept of " salvation of sinners ". The old Buddhist orders condemned
2805-462: The sūtra for this reason, criticizing other schools and types of worship sharply. Seeing the sūtra as a prophecy of the mission of his own movement, Nichiren believed that through devotion to the sūtra a Pure Land on earth could be realized, one which depicts the ideal of enlightenment in Māhayāna Buddhism. He taught that worship of the sūtra led the practitioner to unite with
2890-500: The Age of Dharma Decline . Although early Buddhism already emphasized letting-go of self-conceit by practising the dharma, in the later Pure Land tradition this was drawn further by stating that people should give up all "self-power" and let the power of Amitābha do the work of attaining salvation for them. This power was even believed to transcend the law of karma. Moreover, whereas Honen had taught faith could be built up by constantly reciting
2975-560: The Buddha's death , Buddhist communities felt his absence deeply, and there was a desire to "see" the Buddha ( darśana ) and receive his power. Mahāyāna extended the meaning of the Triple Gem to include Buddhas in other world systems and buddhafields . Many Mahāyāna sutras , like the Pure Land sutras and the Aksobhya sutras, focused their faith upon these Buddhas from other worlds, especially
3060-697: The Lotus Sūtra , combined with devotion toward Amitābha Buddha. These schools believe the sūtra to be supreme among all of the Buddha's teachings, and to lead to enlightenment in the present lifetime. Some schools of the Kamakura period (12th–14th century), took reverence towards the Lotus Sūtra to the extent that they saw it as the single vehicle or path of the dharma , and the Japanese teacher Nichiren (1222–82) believed only this practice led society to an ideal Buddha land. Nichiren promoted faith in and worship of
3145-828: The Navayāna movement, has interpreted Buddhist concepts in the light of the political situation of the Dalits , in which there is tension between modernist rationalism and local devotion. Faith is defined as serene trust that the practice of the Buddha's teaching will bring fruit. It is trust and surrender to enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or bodhisattvas , or even certain highly respected monks or lamas , who are sometimes seen as living Buddhas. Buddhists usually recognize multiple objects of faith, but many are especially devoted to one particular object of faith, such as one particular Buddha. Buddhism has, however, never been organized around one central authority, neither as
3230-595: The Vimaṁsaka Sutta , that his disciples should investigate even him as to whether he really is enlightened and pure in conduct, by observing him for a long time. Several people are described in the Pāli Canon observing the Buddha in such a way, and thereby arriving at well-grounded faith. This does not mean, however, that the Buddha does not accept any acts of reverence to his person: he teaches that devotional acts can help to uplift lay practitioners' minds, and help them on
3315-525: The primordial Buddha , of whom he believed all Buddhas are manifestations. Nichiren promoted the invocation of the sutra title based "on faith alone". Despite this great devotion to the Lotus Sūtra, Nichiren de-emphasized the study of the sutra, believing that chanting the title of the sutra , was the most effective practice for people living in the "Age of Dharma Decline" ( see § Pure Land Buddhism ). Today, more than forty organizations continue
3400-721: The Amitābha Buddha was a fruitful form of practice; it dismissed celibacy, meditation, and other Buddhist practices as no longer effective, or as contradicting the virtue of faith. Pure Land Buddhists defined faith as a state similar to enlightenment, with an accompanying sense of self-negation and humility. Mahāyāna sutras, such as the Lotus Sutra , became objects of worship, and the recitation and copying of these sutras were believed to create great merit. The impact of faith in Buddhist religiosity became pivotal in millenarian movements in several Buddhist countries, which sometimes resulted in
3485-545: The Buddha Amitābha . The increased emphasis on these other Buddhas, manifesting all the time and everywhere, started to overshadow the role of Gautama Buddha in the Buddhist faith. This new Mahāyāna faith in other Buddhas and bodhisattvas gradually led to new forms of worship. By the sixth century, depiction of bodhisattvas in Buddhist iconography had become common, such as the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (the bodhisattva of compassion), and Manjusri (wisdom). Accounts about
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3570-513: The Buddha also criticizes mere reasoning or logic as a means of attaining to truth. Instead, personal and direct intuitive knowledge are required to attain the truth, when such knowledge is not affected by bias. Thus, belief and faith are not considered sufficient for arriving at truth, even in spiritual matters where other religious traditions would defer to faith. The Buddha does not agree with traditions that demand blind faith in scriptures or teachers. In one discourse, when asked on which authority
3655-461: The Buddha and bodhisattvas . In many of these accounts the Buddha played a major role in other people's enlightenment. The role of faith in Mahāyāna Buddhism is similar to that in Theravāda —in both, faith is an unavoidable part of practice. Even in present-day Theravāda, faith is important. Theravādins see faith in the Triple Gem as a protective force in daily life, especially when combined with
3740-432: The Buddha bases his teachings, he answers that he does not base them on tradition, faith, or reason, but rather on personal experience as a source of authority. The Buddhist devotee should verify moral judgment and truth by personal experience. This leads to a provisional acceptance, called "preserving the truth". Faith goes hand-in-hand with an open attitude of willingness to learn and experiment, familiarizing oneself with
3825-428: The Buddha himself, is of little use when it is too much connected with superficial features—such as physical appearance—and too little with the Buddha's teaching. Such an approach to faith is said to lead to affection and anger and has other disadvantages. It is an impediment to walking in the steps of the Buddha and attaining enlightenment, such as in the case of Vakkali. Faith and devotion must always go hand-in-hand with
3910-485: The Buddha through images, and there was a shift in emphasis in Indian religion towards a new devotionalism ( bhakti ). This led to a new emphasis, summarized by Buddhist studies scholar Peter Harvey as "compassion, faith, and wisdom". This paved the way to the arising of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This rise in devotionalism was also seen in non-Mahāyāna schools, including Theravāda, which began emphasizing hagiographical accounts of
3995-403: The Buddha's enlightenment or Nirvana and the path of practice leading up to Nirvana. Faith entails a belief that there are people who have attained Nirvana and are able to teach it. Hajime Nakamura distinguishes two currents in Buddhism, which he describes as the devotional approach and the approach of "inner knowledge". Anthropologist Melford Spiro discusses bhakti (devotion) on
4080-423: The Buddha's teachings, moral practice, and meditation did not contribute to birth in the Pure Land. He even considered some practices such as meditation as detrimental to reliance on Amitābha Buddha. Shinran's concept of shinjin was influenced by Shandao's teaching of the "three minds": firstly, a sincere belief in the person of Amitābha Buddha; secondly, a deep trust in the vow that Amitābha Buddha had taken, and
4165-487: The Nichiren tradition, some of which are lay organizations. It is perhaps in the "Pure Land" sūtras that faith and devotion reach a pinnacle of soteriological importance. When devotion to celestial Buddhas developed in Mahāyāna Buddhism, the idea arose that these Buddhas were able to create ' Buddha-fields ' ( buddha-kṣetra ), or Pure Lands (the central one being Amitabha's Sukhāvatī ). In Pure Land Buddhism, it
4250-520: The Pure Land. This shared sentiment may have been due to the violent civil conflicts, famines, fires, and decay of monastic institutions. But the idea of reliance on the Buddha's power might also have been a consequence of the Mahāyāna teachings on the nature of the Buddha, which made the distance between the unenlightened and Buddhahood much greater. Pure Land Buddhist meditations were initially practiced by Huiyuan (334–416 CE ) on Mount Lu with
4335-446: The Triple Gem at its core. Taking refuge is done by means of a short formula in which one names the Buddha, the dharma, and the saṅgha as refuges. In early Buddhist scriptures, taking refuge is an expression of determination to follow the Buddha's path, but not a relinquishing of responsibility. Faith can lead practitioners to take refuge in the Triple Gem, which opens them up to new spiritual experiences previously unknown to them. This
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#17328477629664420-482: The beginning of the Common Era. Central to Pure Land Buddhism is the idea that the current age humans live in is the Age of Dharma Decline ( mofa , mappō ), the final stage of the current Buddha 's dispensation . Pure Land Buddhists believe that in this period people are severely limited in their own capability for attaining salvation. They must therefore rely on "other power" of Amitābha to attain liberation in
4505-430: The bodhisattvas and their good deeds often included actions with great stakes, and it is likely that writers meant these accounts as devotional more than exemplary. Mahāyāna also developed a new buddhology based on the theory of the triple Buddha body ( Trikaya ). With the development of the various systems of Mahāyāna philosophy and buddhology, the Buddha was no longer regarded as singular historical person. Instead, he
4590-471: The case of the Shin Buddhist movement (the "True Pure Land" sect), it was dominated by laypersons who met in dojos . Other schools like Tendai , Shingon and Kegon allowed for an approach which made room for self-power and numerous complex meditative practices in traditional monastic settings. These emphasized visualization more than the reciting of Amitābha Buddha's name, and emphasized enlightenment in
4675-407: The centre of the religion . In contrast to Vedic Brahmanism , which preceded Buddhism, early Buddhist ideas of faith are more connected with the teachings that are learnt and practised, rather than focused on an outward deity. This does not mean that Buddhism's approach of reality had not been influenced by other traditions: at the time when Buddhism arose, several Indian religious communities taught
4760-423: The characteristics of the Buddha, the dharma, and the saṅgha. With regard to the working of karma, faith refers to a conviction that deeds have effects, good deeds having positive effects, and wrong deeds negative. Thus, faith gives guidance in leading a life of charity, morality, and religious qualities. Faith also covers ideas such as the nature of existence, its impermanence and conditioned nature , and finally,
4845-626: The destruction of royal dynasties and other important political changes. Thus, the role of faith increased throughout Buddhist history. However, from the nineteenth century onward, in countries like Sri Lanka and Japan, and also in the West, Buddhist modernism has downplayed and criticized the role of faith in Buddhism. Faith in Buddhism still has a role in modern Asia and the West, but is understood and defined differently from traditional interpretations, with modern values and eclecticism becoming more important. The Dalit Buddhist community, specifically
4930-412: The devotee. A Buddhist thus aspires to faith in the Triple Gem and values discipline. In early Buddhist texts, however, faith does not mean a hostile response to, or lack of recognition of, other deities. Although the Buddha refutes the bloody sacrifice of animals, he does not condemn peaceful offerings to deities, but considers those far less useful than alms offerings to the monastic saṅgha. Everything
5015-404: The final stage of that path. Early Buddhism did not morally condemn peaceful offerings to deities . Throughout the history of Buddhism, the worship of deities, often from pre-Buddhist and animist origins, was appropriated or transformed into Buddhist practices and beliefs. As part of this process, such deities were explained as subordinate to the Triple Gem, which still kept a central role. In
5100-712: The first two centuries of the Common Era . Part of the "Cult of the Book", Mahāyānists substituted the worship of relic stupas with the worship of the Dharma represented in the sūtra . They honoured and worshiped the Lotus Sūtra just like many other Mahāyāna sūtras , similar to the worship of stūpas before the arising of Mahāyāna Buddhism. They worshiped the Lotus Sūtra more than most ' sūtras . The sūtra itself describes different types of devotion to it—receiving and keeping, reading, reciting, teaching, and transcribing it—and it
5185-546: The founding of the White Lotus Society . The most important Pure Land master was Shandao (613–681), who emphasized the recitation of the name of the Buddha Amitābha (the practice of nianfo ; Jp: nembutsu ), combined with several other practices as a way for ordinary people to be reborn in the Pure Land. There were two key often opposing elements of the Pure Land faith in China, the ideals of self-power (referring to
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#17328477629665270-682: The later strata of Buddhist history, especially in Mahāyāna Buddhism , faith was given a much more important role. Mahāyāna introduced devotion to Buddhas and bodhisattvas residing in Pure Lands . With the rise of devotion to the Amithaba Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism faith gained a central role in Buddhist practice. The Japanese form of Pure Land Buddhism, under the teachers Hōnen and Shinran , believed that only entrusting faith toward
5355-563: The latter ideal became prevalent. But even in Japan, there was much debate as to what emphasis to give to the active efforts of the devotee (i.e. self power, jiriki) on the one hand, and the total reliance on Amitābha Buddha and his vow on the other hand (i.e. faith in other-power / tariki ). The other-power approach was emphasized by the Pure Land schools of the " New Kamakura Buddhism " ( Jōdo-shū , Ji-shu , and Jōdo-Shinshū ) which focused on faith based Pure Land practices exclusively (especially nembutsu) and appealed to many lay people. In
5440-513: The many practices of early schools of Japanese Buddhism. Japanese Buddhism in the Kamakura era saw the popularization of schools which focused on or "selected" a single practice (e.g. Nichiren Buddhism ). Japanese Pure Land teachers such as Shinran taught that faith in Amitabha Buddha was the only form of Buddhism that was the right path;while other forms of Buddhism were seen as ineffective for
5525-471: The most worshiped texts ( sūtra ) in Southeast Asia, embraces the ideal of faith in a transcendent eternal Buddha. In medieval China and Japan, many miraculous legends were related to the Lotus Sūtra , contributing to its popularity. Scholars have suggested that the sūtra 's emphasis on the Buddha as a powerful father figure has helped make the sūtra popular. The Lotus Sūtra was composed in
5610-519: The movement for starting a new school, distorting Buddhist teachings, and reviling Gautama Buddha. When the emperor felt that some of Hōnen's monastics acted inappropriately, Hōnen was banished to a remote province for four years. When Shinran started to teach against the custom of celibacy, stating it indicated a lack of trust in Amitābha Buddha, he was banished as well. Apart from Shinran, other priests who emphasized faith in their interpretations were also banished, as their teachings were often embraced by
5695-452: The object of one's devotion. They are also used, as in Chan and Zen Buddhism , with regard to a confidence that the Buddha nature ( tathāgatagarbha ) is within one's mind and can be seen through Zen practice . As such, Chan and Zen Buddhists consider faith as one of the "Three Essentials" in meditation practice, together with resolve and doubt. Pure Land Buddhists, on the other hand, make
5780-416: The one hand and magga (the path to deliverance) on the other hand. In the development of the understanding of faith, two historical layers can be distinguished: early Buddhism and the later Mahāyāna Buddhism. Some early twentieth-century scholars, such as Louis de La Vallée-Poussin , Arthur Berriedale Keith , and Caroline Rhys Davids , have been criticized by Sri Lankan scholars for not distinguishing
5865-410: The path to nirvana , such as joy, concentration, and insight. Faith in itself, however, is never regarded as sufficient for the attainment of nirvana . A faithful Buddhist layman or laywoman is called an upāsaka or upāsika , respectively. To become a layperson, no formal ritual is required. Some Pāli Canon passages, as well as later commentators such as Buddhaghosa , state that
5950-518: The path to a better rebirth and enlightenment. Devotion is therefore a subject that requires the serious practitioner's interest. Faith is an initial trust in the Buddha as a spiritual teacher and an initial acceptance of the Buddha's teachings. Faith is considered of great benefit to a beginning practitioner. In the Cula-hatthipadopama Sutta , the Buddha describes the path of enlightenment as starting with faith in him, but continuing with
6035-476: The practise of virtue, meditation, and wisdom, culminating in the achievement of enlightenment. Thus, the initial faith provides the confidence to continue the path up unto the final aim. For this reason, in early Buddhist teachings faith is usually listed as the first quality in progressive lists of virtues. Besides saddhā , another word, pasāda , and its related synonyms pasanna and pasīdati , are sometimes also translated as 'faith', but are given
6120-526: The practitioner, regardless of whether there is such a thing as karmic retribution and rebirth. Thus, personal experience and judgement are emphasized in accepting the Buddha and Buddhism. A person should, however, also heed the counsel of the wise. In the discourse called the Canki Sutta , the Buddha points out that people's beliefs may turn out in two different ways: they might either be genuine, factual, and not mistaken; or vain, empty, and false. Thus, when
6205-589: The present lifetime more than attaining to a Pure Land after death. Pure Land Buddhism is currently still one of the most popular forms of religion in East Asia, and is practised by most East Asian monks. As of the 1990s, the older generation of Chinese people still used the Amitābha mantra in common everyday greetings. In Japan, the most influential figures were Hōnen (1133–1212), and his student Shinran (1173–1262). They drew on Tanluan and Shandao's works to develop
6290-467: The same value to faith as in some other religions, such as Christianity. André Bareau argued that "Buddhism has no comparable [idea of] pure faith as in Christianity... The idea of blind faith, an absolute faith in a master's word, goes completely against the spirit of early Buddhism." Translator Caroline Rhys Davids disagreed with such statements, however, stating that "faith is no less important than it
6375-492: The saṅgha as a " field of merit ", because early Buddhists regard offerings to them as particularly karmically fruitful. Lay devotees support and revere the saṅgha, and believe this will render them merit and bring them closer to enlightenment. At the same time, the Buddhist monk is given a significant role in promoting and upholding faith among laypeople. Although many examples in the canon are mentioned of well-behaved monks, there are also cases of monks misbehaving. In such cases,
6460-412: The saṅgha. Saddhā in the lay life is strongly connected with dāna (generosity) : the faithful gift is the most spiritually important gift. Faith is included in lists of virtues for laypeople, and is described as a progressive quality for devotees, as a devotee who is new to the Buddhist religion is characterized as "young in devotion". Thus, there are various lists of virtues in which faith
6545-399: The spiritual life for their own benefit, but also to uphold the faith of the people. On the other hand, they are not to take the task of inspiring faith to the extent of hypocrisy or inappropriateness, for example, by taking on other professions apart from being a monastic, or by courting favours by giving items to the laypeople. Thus, taking refuge is a form of aspiration to lead a life with
6630-501: The teaching. Through personal verification a person's faith deepens, ultimately changing from "preserving" to "discovering" the truth. This verification process involves ordinary experience, but also the yogic experience of cultivation of the mind. Furthermore, the Buddha applies these criteria to his own teaching: he is qualified to teach his dharma because he has verified it for himself, not learnt it from someone else or reasoned it out. The Buddha states in several discourses, including
6715-399: The texts describe that the Buddha responds with great sensitivity to the perceptions of the lay community. When the Buddha sets out new rules in the monastic code to deal with the wrongdoings of his monastics, he usually states that such behaviour should be curbed, because it would not "persuade non-believers" and "believers will turn away". He expects monks, nuns, and novices not only to lead
6800-449: The two sufficiently. In early Buddhist texts, such as Pāli texts, saddhā is usually translated as "faith", but with a different connotation than the English word. It is sometimes also translated as "confidence", as in confidence in doctrine. Faith in early Buddhism, in the words of scholar John Bishop, is essentially "religious without being theistic". It does not focus on a God as
6885-465: The worthiness of the community of spiritually developed followers (the saṅgha), which is mostly defined as the monastic community, but may also include lay people and even devās , provided they are nearly or completely enlightened . Early Buddhism did not include bodhisattvas in the Three Refuges, because they were considered to still be on the path to enlightenment. Early texts describe
6970-443: Was convinced that he was destined to fall in hell without the help of the Buddha Amitābha, devotion to the Buddha Amitābha and trust in his vow was the single way to salvation. Whereas Hōnen had emphasized mostly devotion to the Buddha Amitābha, he did not do so exclusively: Shinran, on the other hand, taught a path of devotion to only the Buddha Amitābha. Thus, Shinran's Buddhism focused on a single faith based practice, in contrast to
7055-456: Was recited did not matter (only the mind of true faith truly mattered here) and that even one utterance would be enough for salvation ( ichinengi ). Subsequent repetitions would be mere expressions of gratitude to Amitābha, which also held for other religious routines and practices. Shinran concluded that for a person with shinjin (the mind of true faith in the Buddha), a deep understanding of
7140-993: Was the manifestation of an ultimate principle, the Dharmakaya . East Asian Buddhism embraced the theory of original enlightenment , the idea that awakening is immanent in all beings, not something that has to be attained, but something which is discovered within. This is originally found in the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana . East Asian Buddhism also embraced the Pure Land sutras and faith in Buddha Amitabha and his Pure land. These trends led to Pure Land Buddhism , and, within Zen Buddhism, to an emphasis on faith in our original awakened state (our buddha-nature ). Terms for faith that are primarily used in Mahāyāna Buddhism are xin (Chinese) and shin (Japanese). These terms can refer to trust, but also to an unquestioned acceptance of
7225-420: Was worshiped in a large variety of ways. In some copies, scribes depicted every letter similar to a Buddha, enshrined in a stūpa . Although the theoretical implications of the Lotus Sūtra influenced traditional scholars, the devotional practices surrounding the sūtra affected Buddhism even more. The Chinese Tiantai school (6th century) and its later Japanese form, Tendai , further promoted worship of
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