Religion & Faith
A Buddha is not the one who sits quietly in a remote world of enlightenment. A Buddha is one who never ceases to take on challenges, who goes among those who are suffering and sweats and toils for their happiness.
All people, even those who say they have no religion, hold deeply cherished wishes and aspirations. We all pray for something in the depths of our hearts. Prayer in Buddhism is a means, based on the Law of the universe, for closing the gap between those wishes and reality.
Buddhism lies close at hand, in the here and now. It is found in daily life, is innate in human existence and in society. To present Buddhism as belonging to some far-off realm, removed from life and reality is deceptive.
By nature, people are strong, wise, cheerful and warm. Religious faith is the power that develops these qualities. . . . The purpose of faith is to make people wise.
Each religion can be made a force for good or for evil by the people who practice it.
Faith in Buddhism is not blind faith that rejects the criteria of reason. It is in fact a rational function, a process of cultivating wisdom that begins with a spirit of reverent searching.
Faith is the function of human life that dispels the dark clouds of doubt, anxiety and regret, opens one’s heart and orients it toward good.
In the realm of religion, with its tragic legacy of fanaticism and intolerance, nothing is more vital than dialogue that transcends dogmatism and is predicated on the exercise of reason and self-mastery. For any religion to relinquish dialogue is to relinquish its reason for being. . . . We must never allow the banner of dialogue, the sine qua non of humanism, to fall―no matter how threatening the rejectionist forces of fanaticism, mistrust or dogmatism may loom.
It goes without saying that any religion that justifies terrorism or war has undermined the spiritual basis for its own existence. I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the twenty-first century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind. Religious faith can help foster a truly global consciousness and restore the bonds between human hearts.
Our Buddhist faith and practice give us the power to win out over despair and resignation, and to keep moving ever forward. Through our efforts to press on, we can polish ourselves and expand our state of life.
Philosophy should inspire people with a sense of purpose and instill in them the power to lead life to the fullest.
Religion in the twenty-first century must provide people with the wisdom to be independent, to think and decide wisely for themselves how to live their lives.
The essence of the teachings of Buddhism is simple: treasure each person.
The human being is at the center of Buddhism. With its focus on the importance of the heart and the preciousness of life, Buddhism exists to enable all people to cultivate and manifest their innate Buddha nature.
The Lotus Sutra’s spirit is to resist the dehumanization of religion and religion's tendency to become divorced from reality but instead to steadfastly redirect religion to focus on the human being.
The tendency of religion is to depart from the human being. And when that happens, religion becomes little more than a means for controlling people.
The struggle to surmount inner deadlock and feelings of defeat is what faith is all about. It is the rousing of the strong and powerful spirit within, the commitment to resolutely wage battle against all inner tendencies toward complacency and stagnation.
The true value of a philosophy or religion is conveyed by people’s actions, by how they live their lives. Buddhism comes alive in the joyous and dedicated efforts of its practitioners for the welfare of others and society.
The value of religion is measured by what it brings people. A religion truly concerned with people’s happiness brings them courage, hope and wisdom, fortifies their spirits, and enables them to free themselves from the chains of suffering.
What is called for now is a new union of faith and reason encompassing all aspects of the human being and society, including the perspective achieved by modern science. This is the great challenge that modern civilization faces, to restore the wholeness of human society, which has been rent asunder by reason without belief and irrational fanaticism.
Wisdom is the enlightened insight that enables us to improve our own lives as well as the lives of others. Knowledge that causes suffering for others could never be considered wisdom. The distortions of society today derive from a confusion of wisdom, which is holistic, and knowledge, which is fragmentary; and an inability to distinguish genuine faith from blind credulity.
