saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

[Oleksandr]

Hello all,

I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

It seems that for most Christian or Tibetan 'saints' faith played most important role, but do you know any theravadins who benefited much from their devotion?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Oleksandr,

The first thing that comes to mind is that faith and wisdom need to be in balance, so that if any were successful on account of their faith, it would only be because of the conjoinment with wisdom.

Metta,
Retro.

[Guy]

Hi Oleksandr,

I agree with Retro. Saddha/Faith and Panna/Wisdom must be developed side by side. In extreme cases faith without wisdom leads to holy wars and suicide cults all in the name of "religion". Real religion should be based on wisdom as much as faith.

With Metta,

Guy

[Oleksandr]

Thanks Retro and Guy! I agree with your points in general.

But I would like to repeat the question:
I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

Do you know any?

[piotr]

Hi,

Do you know any?

Ajaan Mun had faith that arahantship was still possible, contrary to the 'official line' which stated that no one can even practice jhānas, let alone attaining path and fruits.

[tiltbillings]

Thanks Retro and Guy! I agree with your points in general.

But I would like to repeat the question:
I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

Do you know any?

Any teacher who has attained to a level of ariya will have had faith, but maybe you need to tell us what you mean by faith.

[cooran]

Hello all,

This may be of interest:

Does Saddha mean Faith? Parts I and II - Ñanamoli Thera
http://www.bps.lk/new_wheels_library/wh ... aMeanFaith?

metta
Chris

[Oleksandr]

Particularly, do you know any teachers whose main meditation object was recollection of Buddha or Sangha, Dhamma, devas, Peace?

Or in terms of 5 indriyas: some meditators are best in jhanas (samadhi), some are very mindful (sati), some are doing best with vipassana insights (pañña).
And are you aware of any teachers, monks or practitioners whose strongest power is in their saddha or viriya?

[gavesako]

You could include pretty much all the well-known Thai Ajahns in this category, that is how their mind works, they have strong Saddha (with the exception of people like Ajahn Buddhadasa and even Ajahn Chah, who had more investigative minds).

[Oleksandr]

Dziękuję, Piotr and děkuji vám, Bhante!

Bhante, can you please name several Ajahns of this 'category' whose teachings you personally like?'

[gavesako]

You can simply look up www.forestdhammabooks.com and pretty much all of this tradition fall in this category (Ajahn Khao, Ajahn Maha Boowa, Mae Chee Kaew, etc.).

[tiltbillings]

Particularly, do you know any teachers whose main meditation object was recollection of Buddha or Sangha, Dhamma, devas, Piece?

Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.

[piotr]

Hi,

Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.

But on a broader plane one can consider them as a good means to the nibbāna:

"And what, bhikkhus, is that way going upwards, which leads to utter disenchantment ... to Nibbāna. Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is ... teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' He possesses confirmed confidence in the Dhamma ... in the Sangha ... He possesses the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken ... leading to concentration.

"This, bhikkhus, is that way going upwards, which leads to utter disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna."

— Brāhmaṇa-sutta: The Brahmins (SN 55.12), translated from the Pāli by Bhikkhu Bodhi

[appicchato]

Hi,

Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.

But on a broader plane one can consider them as a good means to the nibbāna:
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Indeed...insight to the max...

[Oleksandr]

Hi all,

Has anyone read "Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience" by Sharon Salzberg?
http://books.google.com/books?id=rBIBAAAACAAJ

If yes, what useful have you learned from this book?