Freedom of thoughts
Some people used to say that “we are free thinkers and do not have a religion”. But if anyone is a free thinker, then certainly he must be a Buddhist because the Buddha encouraged freedom of thoughts. The freedom of thoughts allowed by the Buddha is unheard of elsewhere in the history of religions. This freedom is necessary because according to the Buddha, man’s emancipation depends on his own realization of truth and not on the benevolent grace of a god or any external power as a reward for his obedient good behavior.
The Buddha never said to his disciples “pray and believe”. The Buddha used to say “come and see, investigate, do not believe anything blindly.”
In Buddhism, blind faith is condemned and is substituted by Saddha – confidence, based on knowledge and understanding. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his moral teacher, he makes neither self surrender nor sacrificing his freedom of thoughts. Without sacrificing his freedom of thoughts, a Buddhist can exercise his own free will even to the extent of becoming a Buddha himself. Anyone who wishes to attain Nibbana – emancipation has only to rely on his own understanding, uninfluenced by dogmas and blind faiths.
If you had refer to the Kalama Sutta, you may understand how far freedom of thoughts was given by the Buddha to his disciples. The Buddha said: -
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it, Do not believe in traditions, because they have been handed down for many generations, Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many, Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in religious books, Do not believe in anything merely because of the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
Spiritual progress is possible only where freedom of thought exist and there will be no mental progress where blind faith prevails. Freedom of thoughts leads to mental progress while dogmatism leads to stagnation, retrogression and mental degeneration.
The Buddha never said to his disciples “pray and believe”. The Buddha used to say “come and see, investigate, do not believe anything blindly.”
In Buddhism, blind faith is condemned and is substituted by Saddha – confidence, based on knowledge and understanding. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his moral teacher, he makes neither self surrender nor sacrificing his freedom of thoughts. Without sacrificing his freedom of thoughts, a Buddhist can exercise his own free will even to the extent of becoming a Buddha himself. Anyone who wishes to attain Nibbana – emancipation has only to rely on his own understanding, uninfluenced by dogmas and blind faiths.
If you had refer to the Kalama Sutta, you may understand how far freedom of thoughts was given by the Buddha to his disciples. The Buddha said: -
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it, Do not believe in traditions, because they have been handed down for many generations, Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many, Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in religious books, Do not believe in anything merely because of the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
Spiritual progress is possible only where freedom of thought exist and there will be no mental progress where blind faith prevails. Freedom of thoughts leads to mental progress while dogmatism leads to stagnation, retrogression and mental degeneration.
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