It is indispensable to carry out a reasoned study or a critical analysis in every instance of our approach to the Dharma for the assurance of the fulfilment of our aims and objectives. In support to this, Shakyamuni Buddha, the erudite mentor of our time, said:
Monks and the wise:
Like pure gold is tested by burning, cutting and refining,
Examine my words thoroughly before you adopt them,
And not just because you have faith in me.
However, it seems that this statement has been misinterpreted and has led some into the direction of one-sidedness. These days, many of us who consider ourselves to be Buddhists have this statement right in our mind and even on the tips of our tongues. But the question is, do we really understand these noble words in their depth? However, it is hard for me to judge everyone, but most of us are, to a certain extent, lost in this world and carried away on a one-way road with less faith and devotion, because of stressing sheer conceptual examination. Thus, I hereby bring you some text-based knowledge and information for our cohesive path to enlightenment.
The Buddha’s teachings convey so many meanings on the various degrees of the provisional and ultimate levels, and it is we who have to be more sceptical in the way we comprehend them and put them into practice. It is here that most of us go astray by not knowing how to actualize the meaning that is intended to be understood in the way it should be. I am quite sure that the Buddha’s noble intention in making the above statement has something to do with the genuine faith and devotion that is based on skilled examination. Moreover, it is meant for beginners to let them know that the path they follow is not something deceptive or to do with blind faith. Since the revelation of universal truth by the Buddha himself, we are of course granted permission to judge and examine his teachings, but he never said that this trend should go beyond the boundary of every teaching, without instilling even the slightest faith in oneself. Just to satisfy the desire of beings, he gave that authority, but not to judge the ultimate nature.
Another misconception that we all have is to think that Buddhism is a science and we can forever keep it within ‘trials of investigation’ and not to practice a bit of it. Actually, the teachings of the Buddha have many components and science could be one of them. Spirituality without faith and devotion is as bad as not following any path. Nowadays, we can see so many people reciting the words of the Buddha and ever ready to give teachings at any time and request, but it is rare to find those who practice them genuinely. It might be due to my own myopic view that I see only the darker aspects of life in my career and not more than that. But, I wonder sometimes if perhaps the surrounding events that I witness are somehow true, when a few people observe the same thing I do.
Frankly speaking, it is of not much use to spend one’s entire spiritual life in the process of scrutinizing without blending one’s three doors with the true essence of practice. Many realized masters in the past journeyed the same path shown by the Buddha and attained their ultimate goal without fail. I hope I am not too bold to say that there will not be anyone in the future who will come up with new versions of the Buddhist paths, apart from the ones that we have now. Even the Buddha himself said that those who have dubious minds are exempted from yielding the fruit of his doctrine. The text called Uttaratantra states:
The ultimate meaning of self-origination,
Can only be realized by faith and devotion.
And the text called The Root Tantra of Manjushri states:
The dull ones with firm devotion
Are closer to the way of receiving blessing [siddhi].
For the ones who conceptualize and examine,
The blessing is far from reach.
Even if the teachers give them the pith instructions,
[If] the disciples have dubious minds
Then the blessing will be far from reach.
And even if the teachers hide the pith instructions,
[If] the disciples are doubtless
And consider the teaching as sublime,
It is certain that they will accomplish the blessing.
Furthermore, it continues like this:
For the application of mantra and substance,
If one tries to examine them, there will be no siddhi!
These teachings are taught in the higher tantras time and again so this doesn’t mean that these teachings are associated with some dogmatic flaws. Because things, or anything substantial, do not possess any intrinsic reality, it would be very tough on our part to break through the barriers that even the Buddha himself couldn’t do easily. In fact, there are two ways of actualizing the nature of our mind and phenomena: one based on the very sharp and precise wisdom derived from critical analysis and the other which is just mentioned above, unwavering faith and devotion. If we don’t fall into either of these two categories, this would be a challenge for any one of us, irrespective of whether we are lay or ordained practitioners. We probably fall in the middle of these two, if we become neither like the most intellectual Indrabodhi nor the most devoted disciples like Naropa and Milarepa.
My main purpose in writing this article is not to undermine anybody’s flow of succinct Dharma practice, but to remind ourselves about the field of the vast and profound path. Many liberated masters said that there is no need of finding and asking any other people about one’s own realization or progress. If one has become more uncontrived, detached, devoted, compassionate, aware and awakened as compared to the past, then it is said that a practitioner is on the right track of the Dharma, and if not, the pursuit of his or her Dharma practice is futile.
Finally, I fervently request everyone to generate genuine faith and devotion in the Three Jewels, as this is the most vital gateway to omniscience. It is even said that a follower without devotion is like a burnt seed that has no potential to germinate. Therefore, let us all try to retain the vessel of devotion to hold the essence of omniscience and not to fall into the swamp of a mere dialectician’s intellectual analysis.
By Cheki Dorji
9th Year, NNI
