仏教への疑惑

Skepticism towards Buddhism

2024-05-15 18:00:00

Even fervent practitioners of the Buddhist path may harbor doubts about the authenticity of Buddhism.

This was also mentioned in an article dated January 4, 2024.

『Blog: Allegations of practitioners 2024-01-03 17』修行者の疑惑Allegations of practitioners If one is unable to attain enlightenment eve…

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Also, it's understood from the Buddhist scriptures that even the Buddha himself had doubts during his own spiritual journey.

While the scriptures don't explicitly discuss the doubts he experienced during his practice, they imply this by suggesting that all doubts vanish upon enlightenment (= liberation).

1088 Toodeiya asked, "For someone who has transcended all desires, who no longer harbors delusions, and who has surpassed all doubts, what kind of liberation should they seek?"

1089 The teacher (the Buddha) replied, "Toodeiya, for someone who has transcended all desires, who no longer harbors delusions, and who has surpassed all doubts, there is no separate liberation." (The Buddha's Words - Sutta Nipata, Chapter 5: The Path to the Beyond, Verse 10: Question of the Student Toodeiya - Translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)

76 When these virtues manifest for a Brahmin who diligently practices meditation, and when they clearly understand that suffering arises due to causal relationships, all their doubts vanish.

77 For the Brahmin who diligently practices meditation, when these virtues arise, and when they clearly understand that things arise based on causal relationships, all their doubts vanish.

78 For the Brahmin who diligently practices meditation, when these virtues arise, and when they approach the cessation of various causal factors, all their doubts vanish.

79 For the Brahmin who diligently practices meditation, when these virtues arise, and when they approach the cessation of various sensory reactions, all their doubts vanish.

80 For the Brahmin who diligently practices meditation, when these virtues arise, and when they approach the cessation of various afflictions, all their doubts vanish. (Phrase of Feeling - Udana Varga, Chapter 33: Brahmin - Translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)

In another Buddhist scripture, we find the following teaching:

"When the sage, who contemplates with true zeal, clearly discerns all phenomena, his doubts vanish completely. This is because he understands the principle of dependent origination." (Behold this person: The Life of Buddha Gautama by Fumio Masuya, Kodansha-Bunko, p. 49-50)

Now, it's common for practitioners to have doubts about the authenticity of Buddhism during their practice journey, and this does not cast a shadow on the success of their practice.

On the contrary, if one seeks to resolve these doubts by becoming familiar with the scriptures, it will likely accumulate merits.

And when one actually attains enlightenment, they will indeed discover within themselves that all doubts have truly vanished.

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『仏教への疑惑』熱心な仏道修行者と言えども、仏教の真偽について疑惑を生じることがあるでしょう。なお、これについては２０２４年１月４日の記事に書きました。『修行者の疑惑』長…

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Blog: Skepticism towards Buddhism