Definition of gut feeling is
an instinctive feeling, as opposed to an opinion based on facts
Apparently this is what Canki sutta means, since the guy has still not been exposed to Dhamma, just based on the heard, he intuited.
There is a sutta, I think in Samyutta, where
Sariputta says his faith or trust in Buddha/Dhamma is not a lightly held conviction like this, but having investigated Dhamma, he has come to the conclusion AKA firm conviction
sutta number?? my memory is stubborn and does not reveal,
SDC has a photographic memory, on another thread he admitted:
Have them all memorized. I definitely don't ever use the Sutta Central search function
What a resource for DW, the go to person when one gets stuck. He will retrieve it for us. A shout out to SDC.
But to get back to this sutta it seems to get at the truth, Buddha advices
“Exertion is most helpful for the final attainment of the truth,
“Contemplating is most helpful for exertion,
“Being willing.… If one weren’t willing, one wouldn’t contemplate.…”
“Desire.… If desire didn’t arise, one wouldn’t be willing.
“Coming to an agreement through pondering dhammas.… If one didn’t come to an agreement through pondering dhammas, desire wouldn’t arise.…”
“Penetrating the meaning.… “Remembering the Dhamma.…
“Hearing the Dhamma.…
“Lending ear...“Growing close.… “Visiting.… If one didn’t visit, one wouldn’t grow close.…”
“But what quality is most helpful for visiting? We ask Master Gotama about the quality most helpful for visiting.”
“Conviction is most helpful for visiting, Bhāradvāja. If conviction (in a person) didn’t arise, one wouldn’t visit (that person)
Ongoing conversation supports the thesis, "gut feeling is a prerequisite to firm conviction", since firm conviction like Sariputta developed, requires all the said steps. I am sure contemplation here means the last two step of 8fp, Samma Sati and Samma Samadhi, the right contemplation.
Thanks Binocular, for these instructions by Buddha to a young, shaven-headed,
sixteen year old kid, a master of the Three Vedas
With love