Publish Date:2024-06-10
(26) So far as a religious faith is concerned, the real motive engineering it is a subject worth examining. In other words, all religious faiths are not morally motivated. Some religious furor is generated for evil purposes. Some people who desire to own some supernatural power would delve into Buddhism for seeking Buddha’s special favor and endowment which, they hope, would enable them to wield some occult art. Some who desire to ascend fast the social ladder or to rake in fast a large fortune would go to Buddhism for a windfall. Some who desire to wangle a livelihood would make approach to Buddhism as an intermediary between god of wealth and them. The motives of suchlike people as referred to above are invariably bound to distort their faith in Buddhism into a monstrosity. Generally speaking, whether the faith of an individual in Buddhism is morally motivated or otherwise motivated depends mainly on both the direct causes and the indirect causes which occasion the faith. If an individual’s faith in Buddhism is occasioned by the causes that are right or moral and the indirect causes that are also right or moral, then his faith in Buddhism must be a moral faith. This may also be put in the following way: When the motive entertained by a practitioner in practicing Buddhism is virtuous, his faith in Buddhism must be an honorable and honest one. (From My Heart My Buddha)
Hot News