The Role of Faith in Buddhism

The Role of Saddhā (Trust) on the Path to Liberation

The Pāli term saddhā derives from the verbal root sad, which indicates that which is “true” and therefore “good,” and from the suffix dha, “to hold.” Saddhā can be translated as “trust,” although in fact it means “to embrace that which is true and good.” Saddhā is trust born of understanding (aveccappasādena), unlike bhatti (bhakti), affective devotion, which is independent of direct experience. It rests on three factors:

1. An understanding of the unsatisfactory nature of existence;
2. The aspiration for liberation from such persistent dissatisfaction;
3. The confidence that the Buddha, as the “physician,” the Dhamma as the “medicine,” and the Sangha as the “assistants,” constitute the appropriate means for this purpose.

In this regard, the Upanisasutta explicitly states that suffering is the basis (upanisa) upon which confidence in the Dhamma arises. The aspiration for liberation that follows from this is born of having personally experienced the goodness of the teaching. The Vimamsakasutta defines such an aspiration as “firm confidence, based on evidence” (ākāravatī saddhā dassanamūlikā, daḷhā). Furthermore, according to the Paṭisambhidāmagga, confidence should be understood in terms of “determination” (adhimokkha). Needless to say, this is a determination directed toward following the path to freedom.

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The cultivation of saddhā entails an attitude diametrically opposed to the one that many people nowadays have toward relationships—with family members and friends—or toward spiritual and religious practice itself. With the end of ideologies and the global emergence of the so-called liquid society, dominated by the ideology of consumerism, every aspect of life has now fallen prey to an expendable, throwaway mentality. In light of this state of affairs, it is hardly surprising that the idea of trust and dedication may leave many practitioners perplexed. Trust entails openness, commitment, and dedication; nowadays, few people are willing to commit themselves and put their heart—another translation of saddhā—into what they do.

Although it is true that Buddhist saddhā, unlike the faith of theistic religions, is based on the direct experience of the validity of the teaching, it is equally true that it requires an initial willingness to extend credit and a leap toward something unknown of which we have only heard.

It is also evident that many people who approach this kind of discipline are not genuinely seeking a method for overcoming dukkha, but merely a diversion with which to dull it and avoid confronting it. We all place our trust in external objects: distractions, exciting situations, hedonistic pleasures, or intense and adrenaline-fueled emotions. Yet these are strategies destined to fail in the long run, given the changing and uncertain nature of every experience.

Saddhā and Wise Attention

The Tanhāsutta defines saddhā as the nutriment (āhāra) of wise reflection (yoniso-manasikāra) and of other wholesome qualities such as self-restraint and mindfulness; the same sutta identifies learning the right Dhamma and associating with experienced people as the nutriment of saddhā.

The case of the layman Sarakani, described in the sutta bearing his name, is emblematic. Sarakani, a member of the Sakya clan—the same clan to which Gautama also belonged—was known to be an alcoholic and a good-for-nothing. And yet, after his death, the Buddha publicly praised his spiritual attainments. These statements caused considerable controversy, to the point that King Mahanama of the Sakyas went to the Buddha seeking clarification. The Buddha explained to the King that Sarakani, despite his poor habits, possessed an experiential realization of saddhā which, toward the end of his life, led him to correct his behavior in accordance with the ethical principles of the Dhamma.

This demonstrates that trust, far from being an archaic relic of Asian Buddhism with all its identity-based trappings, or an ahistorical sentiment fit only for some idealist out of step with the times, is instead a cornerstone of the path toward understanding and the liberation of the heart from dukkha.