Doubt

Buddhism, instead of faith, teaches you to seek truth yourself. Don’t believe because someone said so — check for yourself. In the Kalama Sutta, an ancient Buddhist text, the Buddha says:

Do not believe anything, regardless of where you read it, who said it, even if I said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

Don’t believe just because:

— It’s commonly heard. — It’s tradition. — It’s from a book. — It sounds logical. — It seems right. — It matches your views. — A smart person said it. — A famous person said it. — Your teacher said it. — You believe in it.

How do you know what’s true? The Buddha offers a simple method here too. Test it the way you test food — is it tasty, is it nourishing?

— Does it bring benefit? — Or does it fuel greed, hatred, or delusion? — Do the wise praise it? — Does it bring peace and happiness?

For those doubting whether the game is worth the candle, the Buddha added that living virtuously is a win either way:

— If there’s an afterlife, virtue will be rewarded. — If there isn’t, you’ll still live happily. — If bad deeds have consequences, you’ll avoid suffering. — If they don’t — you’ll keep your peace.

But the menu is not the meal. Too much tossing around, too many doubts. All of it gets in the way of living. You have to test it on yourself. It’s like learning to swim — you’ll have to get in the water yourself.

The Buddha taught not to take even his word on faith. Think, try, see what works.

— Does this thought make me freer or more dependent?

The right decision is the one that makes your soul light up.

Wishing everyone well.