London – Kagyu Samye Dzong

FAITH & INTELLIGENCE IN BUDDHISM

Last night (16th October), Drupon Khen Rinpoche taught in Kagyu Samye Dzong London on the topic of Faith & Intelligence in Buddhism.

Rinpoche first said that while all religions see faith to be important, how they each identify faith will be different. In Buddhism, for example, there are three types of faith.

Rinpoche then explained how the different types of faith can be summarised into two: faith that is reasoned and based on knowledge and faith that is blind and is based on merely what we have heard and presume to be true.

While ultimately we seek the first of these (informed faith), the latter (blind faith) is necessary on the initial stages of the path, Rinpoche taught, as without blind faith we will not engage with the teachings and practices that will lead us to obtain informed faith.

In the second part of the teaching, Rinpoche offered an inspiring presentation of the two principle paths of Buddhism, the path of study and the path of practice, and how the first of these must precede the latter.

Here are a few pictures from the evening.