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Dictionary of the History of Ideas

Studies of Selected Pivotal Ideas
  
  
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5. The Fundamental Attitude. Buddhists should fol-
low the path which was prescribed by the Buddha.
For this purpose faith is indispensable, but it is only
a preliminary requirement for one's practicing the way.
According to Buddhism faith should not be in contra-
diction to reason. The Buddha was described as one
who has reasoned according to the truth rather than
on the basis of the authority of the Vedas or tradition.
Buddhists have accepted two standards for the truth
of a statement: it must be in accordance with the
scriptures and must be proved true by reasoning.

Buddhism presupposes universal laws called
dharmas, which govern human existence and may be
known by reason (“dharma” means etymologically “the
one that keeps”). Personal relations should be brought
into harmony with the universal norms, the universal
laws which apply to all existence, regardless of time
and space. Buddhism claims to be the Path which is
regarded as the universal norm for all mankind, con-
formity to the nature of the universe. A Buddha is


250

simply one who has trodden this Path and can report
to others on what he has found. Buddhism theoretically
admits the existence of many Buddhas.

On the other hand, metaphysical speculation con-
cerning problems not related to human activities and
the attainment of Enlightenment is discouraged—e.g.,
problems such as whether the world is infinite or finite,
whether the soul and the body are identical with, or
different from, each other.