In Praise of Doubt ~ by Nigel Shipston

The Buddha is attributed to have said,

Do not believe in anything (simply) because you have heard it ; Do not believe in traditions, because they been handed down for many generations ; Do not believe in anything, because it is spoken and rumoured by many ; Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books ; But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

 In this commentary, by Nigel Shipston, he speaks in praise of doubt as a valuable safeguard on the Buddhist path.

Trust and faith are seen as a major part of religious training across all faiths. They implore us to drop habitual and conventional ways of viewing ourselves and others, encourage us to connect more deeply with the transformation of the spirit.  In Zen,  we sit and follow the Precepts trusting that this will benefit ourselves and others but not knowing in what ways.  All will be revealed…….eventually. 

And, of course, there is a sense of trust that is about our feeling (and being) safe. We open our hearts,  and how we understand the world can profoundly shift, leaving us vulnerable and uncertain. At these times,  we need confidence in our tradition,  our teachers and our Sangha to help us to navigate these challenges. There is a sense that trust is hard to gain but quick to lose. And the people who hold power in religious organisations need to be mindful of that.

But , I’d like to sing out a praise for doubt. Doubt is what got us started on our spiritual path in the first place. Before anyone started talking to us or organising us, we, on our own, started to question things and set out to investigate further. And I was pleased to hear the Buddha’s teaching: “Don’t take my word for it.  Check it out for yourself”. I read that Buddha would recognise Buddha and that we were to take responsibility for our own training as spiritual adults.  I think this is something that can be forgotten. 

Do I trust enough to take the next step? Yes,  but I will continue to keep hold of my doubt and my questioning.