Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge c13.76

c13.76

(657) But the post-Canonical literature from the Milindapañha onwards speaks mainly about the first two aspects of faith and Dutt seems to have been led largely by the accounts they give. Thus, both in the Milindapañha (34) and the Atthasālinī (section 304), saddhā is said to have the characteristics of appreciation (sampasādana-lakkhaṇa) and endeavour (sampakkhandana-lakkhaṇa). The first (sampasādana-lakkhaṇa-) represents the affective characteristic of faith. It corresponds to what was denoted by pasāda- in the Nikāyas. Now pema- (filial affection) and bhatti- (devotion) are also used synonymously with saddhā (in its affective aspect) in the Nikāyas, but while the affective trait of pasāda- was highly valued (*v. supra*, 655), pema- is less so and bhatti- hardly occurs In its only use which approximates to the sense of saddhā (apart from the instance quoted, *v. supra*, 655), bhatti- denotes the 'allegiance' or 'devotion' which an evil person has towards another evil person (asappuriso asappurisabhattī hoti, M. III.21) or a good person may have towards another good person (M. III.23).