Page 47 - Martial Science June 2017

three ways that Bud- drill an oil-well at we can consequently We have faith in the
dhism teaches that that spot, persever- understand the Truth teachings of the Bud-
one may acquire ing until its riches only by understand- dha, and at the same
wisdom i.e. by listen- are brought to the ing our lives and by time we can easily
ing and learning (s. surface. (This corre- grasping the wisdom be learning the re-
srutamayiprajna).) sponds to the third of of life. We may then ality of such pro-
the three ways to ac- clearly contemplate found teachings as
2. Faith with pro- quire wisdom i.e. by the Universe and the dependent origina-
found understanding meditation and con- phenomenal world, tion, impermanence,
— After establishing templation (s. bhava- thereafter being able non-self etc., and ex-
faith without preju- namayi-prajna).) to penetrate to the periencing the appli-
dice, one is required Truth. If one believes cation of these Bud-
to develop a pro- 4. Faith with reali- that wisdom is to be dhist teachings in
found understanding zation — By contin- gained through the our daily lives. The
of the valid grounds uous practice and external world, one teaching of the unifi-
for faith, and by such contemplation, one can only arrive at a cation of wisdom and
reasonable means to comes to realize that superficial knowl- faith is a distinctive
acknowledge its au- there is no differ- edge of the Truth characteristic and
thenticity. The deep- ence between the and cannot dwell in an emphatic feature
er the understanding ultimate truth and the heart of Dharma. of Buddhism. When
of the valid grounds what one believes in we make a relevant
for faith, the stron- beginning. It is like a In Buddhism, the comparison with
ger the faith that miner who procures cultivation of wis- other religions we
will arise. The val- a large quantity of dom does not hinder can see that in this
id grounds for faith petroleum by virtue faith. For example, regard Buddhism is
are learnt and au- of his effort in drill- through His own ex- unique.
thenticated by listen- ing oil wells. (This ertions the Buddha
ing, by seeing, and corresponds to the realized that there
deepened by incisive realization of praj- are infinite number
thought in order to na.) of different planes of
gain a systematic existence, and that
understanding. (This In Buddhism, faith is the ranks of sen-
correlates with Bud- not antagonistic to- tient beings are like-
dhist teaching on the wards wisdom, and wise limitless. When
second of the three conversely wisdom science is not well
ways to acquire wis- is accomplished only developed, people
dom i.e. by thinking in consort with faith always doubt this.
(s. cintamayi-praj- and confidence. The But in these modern
na).) ultimate achieve- times, by using sci-
ment is the unifica- entific instruments,
3. Faith with endeav- tion of wisdom and we can prove that
or — After exercising faith. The meaning there are indeed an
one’s reasoning and of faith in Buddhism infinite number of
coming to under- is thus very different planets in this uni-
stand the grounds from its meaning in verse. As science fur-
for faith, one will other religions. ther develops, it may
make every endeav- become even easier
or to achieve it. The Wisdom in Buddhism to prove the correct-
process is analogous is attained through ness of the teachings
to oil mining. One the mental culture of of Buddha, which of
must first examine self-contemplation. course will help fur-
the ground and be Since the main issue ther reinforce faith.
very certain that pe- in the accumulation On the other hand,
troleum can be found of true knowledge is the cultivation of
under a certain spot. the quest to learn all faith does not hin-
One then starts to about human nature, der wisdom either.

JUNE/2017 47