Faith (Skt. श्रद्धा Shraddha) is a state of trust, confidence, and openness. On the path of knowledge, a living faith is distinguished from blind belief it is the initial trust required to begin and sustain the journey toward truth.

Faith vs. Blind Belief

• Blind Belief: Gulping down dogmas, superstitions, or other people's opinions uncritically without any desire to verify them. This leads to deep ignorance, confusion, and suffering.

• Living Faith: A temporary suspension of disbelief. It is the reasonable trust that the teachings of a realized guru are valid and can be verified through one's own direct experience. It is a necessary catalyst for starting a practice; you need some initial trust to try the experiments.

Role of the Guru

• Aids and Shortcuts: The path of knowledge is a difficult climb. Having faith in a competent guru acts as a shortcut. The master has already walked the path and knows the pitfalls. Trusting his guidance prevents the seeker from wasting years in useless, repetitive effort.

• Self-Realisation: Ultimately, all external faith in the teacher, the books, or the methods must ripen into absolute faith in your own Self the uncaused, eternal experiencer.

See also

Belief, direct experience, guru, ignorance, teacher, self realisation.