Theme 1: Faith & Religion

Theme 1: Faith and Religion
Definition of Religion
The English word religion is in use since the 13th century, loaned from Anglo-French religiun (11th century), ultimately from the Latin religio, "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, piety, the res divinae".
The ultimate origins of Latin religio are obscure. It is usually accepted to derive from ligare "bind, connect"; likely from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to reconnect."

Confucius Concept of “Heaven”CHAP. XIX. 1. “The Master said, 'Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it.”---Analects Daoist Concept of “Dao”
“(Tao) having no name, it is the Originator of heavenand earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of allthings.
Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law fromHeaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is itsbeing what it is.”---Daode Jing

Buddhist Concept of “Buddha”
“Enlightened One”

Taking Refuge on Three Jewels
1 Buddha
2 Dharma
3 Sangha


Kalama Sutra (Anguttaranikaya 3.65 tr. by Soma Thera)
“There are some monks and brahmins, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmins too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmins spoke the truth (sacca) and which falsehood (musaa)? “
“Come, Kaalaamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by oral tradition (anussava); nor upon succession (from teacher to disciple, paramparaa); nor upon rumour (itikiraa); nor upon what is in a scripture (pi.tikasampadaa); nor upon pure reason (takka); nor upon inference (naya); nor upon reasoned consideration (aakaaraparivitakka); nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over (di.t.thinijjhaanakkhanti); nor upon another's seeming expertise (bhavyaruupataa); nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher' (sama.no no garu). Kaalaamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blameable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.”
Authority
1. Anussava; (oral) tradition, repeated hearing, report
2. Paramparaa; succession, series (lineage), tradition
3. Itikiraa; rumour, hearsay
4. Pi.tikasampadaa; what is in a scripture
5. Bhavyaruupataa; another's seeming ability, expert testimony
6. Sama.no no garu; 'The monk is our teacher'
Reason
1. Takka; (specious) reasoning, hair-splitting reasoning, sophistry
2. Naya; inference, surmise, logic
3. AAkaaraparivitakka; reasoned consideration
4. Di.t.thinijjhaanakkhanti; a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over.
“Kaalaamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad (akusala); these things are blameable (saavajja); these things are censured by the wise (viññugarahita); undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm (ahita) and ill (dukkha),' abandon them. “
“Kaalaamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good (kusala); these things are not blameable (anavajja); these things are praised by the wise (viññuppasattha); undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit (hita) and happiness (sukha),' enter on and abide in them. “
Buddha’s attitude to knowledge
1. To consider the Context and the Consequences
2. ethical, pragmatic, empirical
Place for Faith
“Filled with faith he visits him and pays respect to him; having paid respect to him, he gives ear; when he gives ear, he hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorises it and examines the meaning (upaparikkhati) of the teachings he has memorised; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings (dhammaa-nijjhaana.m-khamanti); when he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up (chanda); when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will (ussahati); having applied his will, he scrutinises (tuuleti); having scrutinised, he strives (padahati); resolutely striving, he realises with the body the ultimate truth (paramasacca) and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom (paññaa)” ---[Majjhimanikaaya 70.23.]
Kalama Sutra
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu/ Soma Thera/ F.L. Woodward
Reviewed by Bhikkhu Bodhi/ Larry Rosenberg/ Mokkhabalarama /Dharmacari Nagapriya/