Must one "believe" in the Four Noble Truths?

[alan]

Start with the first one. I don't think it is a question of what you believe or do not believe.
If life does not seem to be saturated with Dukkha, if you are totally pleased with Samsara, then nothing of the rest will seem to be of value.

[tiltbillings]

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[Individual]

Seems to me the cart got before the horse with the question.

'Believing', implies a static frame of mind. You don't arrive at 'Truth', you journey through it.
Knowledge is mundane.

Poor belief; has such a bad reputation. If belief in Buddhism is a tool for investigation, for practice, for inspiration, then there is not a thing static about it. Belief is, however, where one has to start.

Instead of "belief," it might also simply be "disbelief," in various delusions.

Also, as I see it, dhamma practice is a wheel made up of many interconnected axles, among which belief is just one of many and it does not matter where one starts, only that one starts. Sometimes action can precede belief, sometimes belief can precede action, or arise at the same time. For a person who is stubbornly set in their ways because of views of self, it is only through spontaneous improvement (repeated many times) that there is any meaningful change.

[rowyourboat]

Hi Individual,

It seems you are here to tell us what you think- ie your personal view of the world. Are you capable of learning as well? If so this forum will be of great help to you- otherwise once you have said your piece no one will be interested.

with metta