The truth of our beliefs

The truth of our religious beliefs does not necessarily rest on whether or not those beliefs come from the actual founder or not.  What is important is whether or not the experiences those beliefs predict can actually be realized.  

I say this to those who are of the opinion that if you can’t prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Buddha actually spoke his discourses, then Buddhism is of no value.  Much of it can be dismissed, in other words, as an obvious work of fiction.

This leads me to say that the real test of any religion is its actual ability to guide a follower to the absolute, which the follower can verify, directly.  Accordingly, it is not a true religion that tells its followers to believe in a set of dogmas then go no further waiting, instead, for the promised savior to return who is supposed to deliver his patient followers from their misery.  This is not religion—not in a Buddhist sense.

Religion for Buddhism only requires of us that we internally try to put into practice the Buddha’s words in order to see what he saw when he attained enlightenment.  It makes no difference who spoke a particular discourse, some of which were spoken by Shariputra, if they get us to the other shore of nirvana.

For those who have a great deal of faith in the Buddha’s discourses; and if there is a sincere effort on their part to investigate the Buddha’s teachings in order to lay bare their truth, then the proper experiences will naturally follow which will verify that Buddhism is a true religion.

Comments

[Account Deleted]

That's perfectly right . Unless the religion leads the follower to true realization and perfection , the religion is nothing more than a set of worthless dogmas .. It's all about experience and nothing else . and this is where most of the present religions fail , miserably . I love Buddhism for it presents a path of gradual experience . thnx 4 de insight .

[Norwind]

(Page 299-300
The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law book section)

"All the buddhas, saviours of the world,
Dwelling in mighty divine penetration,
In order to gladden all creatures
Reveal their infinite powers divine.
Their tongues extend to the Brahma heavens,
Their bodies emit countless rays of light;
For those who seek the Way of the Buddha
They show this rare phenomenon.
The sound when the buddhas cough
And that of the snap of their fingers
Are heard throughout the whole universe,
And the earth in six ways shakes.
Because, after the Buddha's extinction,
It is possible to posses this sutra,
The buddhas all rejoice
And show infinite powers divine.
Know that this sutra is entailed
To him who keeps it, let praise
Through kalpas infinite,
Be inexhaustible.
The merits of this man
Shall be boundless and without end
As space in every direction,
Which cannot find a limit.
He who can keep this sutra
Is one who already beholds me
And also the Buddha Abundant Treasures,
And all buddhas emanated [from me],
And sees besides the bodhisattvas
Whom I have instructed until now.
He who can keep this sugra
Will cause me and the [buddhas] emanated from me,
And the Buddha Abundant Treasures in Nirvana,
All of us entirely to rejoice;
And the buddhas now in the universe,
And those of the past and the future,
He shall also see and serve
And cause to rejoice.
The mysterious laws that have been attained
By the buddhas each on his wisdom throne,
He who can keep this sutra
Must surely gain ere long.
He who can keep this sutra
Shall the meaning of the laws,
With their terms and expressions,
Delightedly expound without end,
Like the wind in the sky,
Which never has impediment.
After the Tathagata is extinct [such a one].
Knowing [this] sutra that the Buddha has taught,
[Together with] its reasoning and process,
Shall expound it according to its true meaning.
Just as the light of the sun and moon
Can dispel the darkness,
So this man, working in the world,
Can disperse the gloom of the living
And cause numberless bodhisattvas
Finally to abide in the One-vehicle.
Therefore he who has wisdom,
Hearing the benefits of this merit,
After I am extinct,
Should receive and keep this sutra.
This man shall in the Way of the Buddha
Be fixed and have no doubts."

the book:
The Threefold Lotus Sutra
(ISBN 4-333-00208-7)