Studies in the Origins of Buddhism c19.88

c19.88

Faith.—According to Professors Keith⁶⁵ and La Vallée Poussin,⁶⁶ faith in the Buddha was essential to the earliest Buddhist belief. An important distinction, however, must be effected. The doctrine as preached by Buddha is not the same thing as understood by his followers later. In Buddha's own realisation faith played but little part. He preached in opposition to established faiths. He criticized believing on faith alone⁶⁷ and claimed to teach a doctrine which anybody could directly realize for himself.⁶⁸ Faith in a sense implying an authoritarian or traditionist position could obviously have no place in his system.⁶⁹