Harimedia Forum

Dear Hari,

I have just been looking at some of the numerous posts by Harsi and amongst the thougtful quotes found one that I really liked. It says what I always taught and I guess it proves that I must have been a buddhist in some of my previous lives .

Putting the jokes aside, I wonder how would this quote marry with the philosophy of some other religions that seem to insist on acceptance withought observation and analysis? Buddha is after all represented as incarnation of God and I assume that he wouldn´t advice people to do something that is actually not beneficial for them, or something that they are not capable of doing (as it seems to me that many religions insist on humans not questioning things since (that) they are not capable of understanding).

Also, I would say that the last sentence in the quote is slightly tricky. There are some things that don´t agree with my reason and I don´t see them as conducive to the good of all, but there is somebody else that does. So, are they then indeed for the good of all or not? According to Buddha I should have a right and power to make that decision for myself, even if not for others.

I would be thankfull to hear some of your toughts on the following quote, if you have time and find it interesting, of course.

Thanks, and all the best

Sri


"Do not believe in anything (simply) because you have heard it.
Do not believe in traditional ideas (simply) because they have been handed down for many generations.
Do not believe in anything because it is spoken or rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything (simply) because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that a thing agrees with reason and is conductive to the good
and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live by it." - Lord Buddha, Kalama Suta


ps. I am right now engaged in analyzing the religions, finding similarities and differences. Tracing the history of humans connection to God has been interesting so far. Therefore the interest in above questions.

The idea that an individual should decide to accept something that is personally acceptable and reject that which is not, is very good, but something that will certainly be objected to by organized religion which is more concerned with telling you what is best for you.

I would not accept any statement of Buddha on the basis that he would only say what is best for people. I would still examine it and see if it had relevance to me. It seems to me he would agree with this idea.

Also, I would say that the last sentence in the quote is slightly tricky. There are some things that don?t agree with my reason and I don?t see them as conducive to the good of all, but there is somebody else that does. So, are they then indeed for the good of all or not? According to Buddha I should have a right and power to make that decision for myself, even if not for others.

If someone says that a thing is good for all people and you do not think it is good for you, then either it is not really good for all people or you are wrong in thinking it is not good for you. If you do not have enough faith in yourself to determine what is good for you or not, then you can experiment with doing what you were told is good for you. If after a longer period of time and enough experience with acting in this manner you see it is indeed good for you, then you will develop more faith in the concept that others know better what is good for you. If, however, you find acting according to other's ideas is not good for you, you will develop more confidence in yourself.

Either way, it is you who has decided what to believe and how to act. Ultimately, you have enough faith in your decisions to guide your actions. We always are in charge of what we believe and what we do. It is impossible to avoid this. Even those who enter into religions or other restrictive social or spiritual associations are doing so of their own free will and choice. When they later claim they are now simply following what they are told, they are actually continuing to do what they think is right when they follow. Therefore never forget that you are always in power and can choose as you like.

The problem is that it often takes far more courage to admit one's course of action is no longer relevant and make the appropriate changes. We often feel it would be against our other interests to do so.

Therefore it is essential that we understand our personal responsibility for our beliefs and our choices. It is most dangerous when one becomes convinced that one is powerless to make changes when one feels one should. It is even worse when one avoids change by nullifying the capacity to feel due to being unable to deal with the conflict between one's faith and one's experience.