Faith and Doubt, Fear and Hope: The True Balance of Opposites

The Unavoidable Duality of the Universe

If the fundamental logic of existence is inherently duality—the balance of yin and yang—

Then the true contrast is not simply belief vs. disbelief,

But rather faith vs. doubt, and fear vs. hope.

These pairs are far more profound than the simple notion of "to believe or not to believe."

A Reflection on My Own Journey

I often wonder: When did Confucius truly establish his “one guiding principle” (一以贯之)?

Was it at thirty, when he stood firm? Or at forty, when he was free of doubt?

I am approaching fifty, and only now do I feel that I have firmly found my footing.

I will no longer waver between the "self" (individual nature, emptiness as the source of causation)

And "destiny" (collective existence, causation as the source of emptiness).

Before I critique others, I must first reckon with my own past thoughts.

The pursuit of thought without learning is a dead end.

Once I have exhausted that, I will examine learning without thought.

The Illusion of Absolute Truth

There may not be absolute right or wrong, nor absolute truth,

But there is still relative truth and comparative correctness.

For example:

Your subjective perception is an objective reality to me.

But I, too, have my own subjectivity, so it is difficult to ever truly grasp what you mean.

Because of the limitations of language,

I cannot fully articulate my own thoughts,

Let alone claim to know my own absolute truth.

Thus, instead of calling it agnosticism,

It is better described as mysticism—a stance not tied to religion,

Even Confucius himself said: "I do not know."

The Only Certainty: One’s Own Existence

The one undeniable truth is my own existence.

If life is but a dream, it is still my dream.

If everything is an illusion, I am not an illusion.

But who is this "I"?

The self is a platform—a stage where thoughts, body, and identity are merely temporary roles.

A fictional play, but the emotions are real.

The Faith That Requires No Proof

I hold a belief:

That while the body and thoughts are subject to birth and death,

The platform of existence itself is not.

This is faith, because there is no evidence.

Every proof is merely a new scene in the play.

To be deceived by this new illusion is what people call delusion.

Yet, because all evidence is unreliable,

It is impossible not to doubt.

Thus, perhaps everything in existence is shaped by this eternal interplay:

Faith and doubt

Hope and fear

Instead of worshiping materialism,

It is better to believe in energy.

And even beyond energy, it is better to believe in oneself.

This is my latest realization.

The Inner and the Outer: True Stability

The inner is eternal, while the outer is ever-changing.

Like wind cannot move light, external forces cannot shake true awareness.

What happens after death is uncertain.

The ultimate mystery may never be solved.

But the world, as it is, is quite amusing.

A grand stage where we watch endless performances.

The Problem of Seeking Truth

Some seek truth through formal study—

But Huineng already said:

"The three Buddhist canons and twelve scriptures are already within us.

They originate from within us."

"Do not abandon the root to chase the branches.

Do not search for the donkey while already riding it."

One does not discover truth externally,

Nor does truth come from written texts,

Nor does truth require endless meditation.

True realization is not the 100% enlightenment of sudden awakening,

But a constant, living awareness.

The Danger of Blind Faith in Pure Teachings

Many cultures dream of a "future sage" who will bring the ultimate truth.

In China, prophecies like Tui Bei Tu and Shaobing Song speak of such a figure.

But pure truth, if it exists, must be so perfect that it contains no errors.

However, the problem is:

Even if a saint appears, even if they deliver flawless teachings,

Why have past saints not been enough?

Why have their pure teachings become impure over time?

The answer cannot always be external.

It is not merely the fault of outside corruption.

There must be an inner cause as well.

The Fallacy of Seeking Salvation from the Outside

Many overvalue external things:

Sacred books written by saints

Religious rituals and traditions

Unique spiritual experiences

But can we control a television set by analyzing the images on the screen?

If not, then perhaps our scientific and logical successes

Are just an illusion,

A trick played by the "TV set" itself.

Thus, a true master teaches nothing.

Because all one must do is unbind oneself

From attachments to illusions.

Salvation is never external.

It does not come from a future saint or a holy text.

It is already within yourself.

The true essence of reality and the true essence of yourself

Are one and the same.

The Yin-Yang of Faith and Doubt

Yin and yang are not like two sides of a coin.

They are interwoven within one another.

There is yin within yang and yang within yin.

Ultimate yin leads to yang, and ultimate yang leads to yin.

If there were such a thing as pure light or pure darkness,

It would not last—it would immediately reverse.

Thus:

In the darkest doubt, there is always hope.

In the brightest faith, there is always fear.

Even those with absolute faith

Still seek proof, validation, and external confirmation.

They may never realize it, but their faith is built on a foundation of doubt and fear.

The Essence of Buddhism in One Sentence

Buddhism, at its core, is not about seeking truth or goodness.

Its purpose is to transcend suffering.

But to do so, one must correctly identify the cause of suffering.

Otherwise, the path will be misguided.

Some mistakenly believe:

That suffering comes from external attachments.

That detachment means abandoning the world.

But clinging itself is not the problem.

The problem is that we have lost ourselves.

Even those who seek emptiness and nothingness

Are merely escaping from their own lost sense of self.

Thus, the true realization is:

"True faith requires no proof.

Have faith in your own nature.

Doubt all external validation, no matter how sacred."

Your body is born and dies,

But the real you does not.

It does not win or lose.

Because in the end—

You are you.

That is enough.

贴主:湖叶于2025_02_23 0:02:15编辑