“May you have a strong a foundation when the winds of changes
shift” ~ Bob Dylan
This was written on Election eve.
There was a strong wind rustling through the trees this morning. I watched a flurry of colorful leaves swirl in the gusts and tumble to the ground. I wonder if this could be the winds of change.
We are in the midst of an unimaginable global pandemic and a time
of social unrest. Are these winds of change predictive of a calmer political climate? Can the above mentioned troubles be eased by a calmer political climate? Can I cultivate this faith?
A strong foundation of faith is needed to believe in a positive outcome when the winds of changes shift or when there is a change in fortune. What is faith?
Faith is defined as having belief in, trust in, or loyalty to something. Faith implies belief in the doctrines of one’s religions. Sotaesan, The Founding Master of Won Buddhism, believed that the cardinal doctrines of all religions and all of the dharmas under heaven could be synthesized into one faith or one religion, known as the Way. The Way is a path that can be practiced by all people under heaven. The Way in Won-Buddhism includes the cardinal teachings of the Il-Won, the Fourfold Grace, the Four Essentials, The Three Fold Study and the Eight Articles.
This reflection paper will focus on Faith of the Way. Faith is the
first of the Eight Articles. Faith is a belief with a strong conviction
in its truth. Skeptics say how can there be certitude when there is
no evidence of proof. The Founding Master teaches us that
Heaven and Earth have the Way and its power. We have Faith in
the Grace of Heaven and Earth because we could not live
without the air we breath, the soil, the sun, moon, wind, rain,
clouds and the dew. Belief in Heaven and Earth is the first grace
in Won-Buddhism.
Next comes the Grace of Parents. How could we not have Faith or indebtedness in our Parents when they give us a human body and protect us when we are lacking in self power?
Grace of Fellow Beings comes next. How could we not have Faith or indebtedness in Fellow Beings? We could not live alone in a world without the help, support and provisions supplied by other people, animals and even plants for that matter.
The Grace of Laws is the last Grace. I will later explain why my faith in this Grace is wavering.
The Founding Master said that faith or belief is the vessel that holds the dharma. How do we cultivate Faith? Cultivation involves believing in our own true nature and trusting the teachings of the Dharma. Studying and understanding the “Way” is the foundation of both of these practices. The Dharma is explained in the Three Fold Study as discussed previously. Briefly it involves trainings in samadhi, prajna and sila.
Meditation or samadhi is the path to understanding our true nature by letting go of disturbances, delusions, conflicting emotions and attachments. We can control of our inner world by restoring our mind ground to its original nature Cultivation of prajna or wisdom shows us how discrimination (right from wrong) can free us from the fundamental ignorance that causes suffering. Sila allows us to put these principles into practice so we can live ethically and purely.
If we put our faith in the above we can achieve spiritual cultivation inwardly. Once we do this we can advance material cultivation outwardly. The Founding Master believed that in an age when human knowledge had advanced through science, and living standards had improved, faith (dharmakayabuddha) could be infused into daily life, and within reason, one could also enjoy material pleasures. He stated, We can enjoy the wholeness of both spirit and flesh and the completeness of the inward and out ward.
Sadly today it is harder to find a balance between material and spiritual cultivation. This balance does not exist in the political climate of many countries in the world. It is more difficult to cultivate faith in this area. Faith is linked with discernment and I was taught that Shakyamuni Buddha remonstrates blind faith based on authority alone.
I feel discernment must be considered when mentioning the Grace of Laws. Of course we cannot live without laws. Our safety depends on laws. They protect individuals and nations so that there is order in the world. However there are laws in our country that promote social injustice. I cannot put my faith in all laws. The object of my faith is in the inner good, courage, and in the innate wisdom of fellow beings who question these Laws. If our current laws followed the “Way” then I would have faith in the Grace of Laws.
Belief in the Triple Jewel is the essence of Buddhist teaching. The three jewels of course are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The Founding Master said that believing in the Three Jewels involves two categories of Faith. One is self-powered belief and the other he names the other-powdered belief. Literally other-powered belief is the faith in the three jewels that have actually appeared in the world. Self-powered belief means discovering the triple jewels that is within one’s own self nature and inwardly believing and practicing in them. The categories become the foundation for each other so they develop in tandem. “When one’s practice reaches the ultimate state there will be no boundaries between self and other and the myriad things in heaven and earth and the dharma realm of empty space will turn into the Three Jewels.”
I read that in the Mahaparinirvava Suttra the Buddha ascribes a
foundational position to faith. He states, “We say that unsurpassed Awakening has faith as its cause. The causes of awakening are innumerable but if stated as faith, this covers everything”.
The Buddha also comments: “All that is said in these sutras is the
truths of the Way… as I already stated if one believes in the Way, such a Way of faith is the root of faith. This assists the Way of Awakening.”
We may know the outcome of the election by the time this reflection paper is shared. Will I be able to maintain a strong foundation
of faith regardless of the outcome?
Footnote – I hope the winds of change are blowing southeast. The Founding Master discusses the positive benefits of southeast winds on pages 138-139. I will need to re-read these pages to better understand this belief.
keep the faith, spread the faith! well-written and inspiring paper… my favorite part was the grace of parents of course
Very true and thoughtful.
If politicians could find their way beyond selfishness and greed, the world would be a better place.
Your thoughts are inspiring and hopeful.