Buddha’s Birthday and What’s So Different About Buddhism?

What’s true and how do we know?

When I was a young guy, I stumbled on Buddhism and what struck me was that it offered a path that promised direct experience of the truth. Other religions and belief systems seemed to be about belief either in that which could not be verified experientially or in a selection of facts from which a flow of logic ensued but from which other conclusions could be drawn. 

There are five things that can turn out in two ways in the here-&-now. Which five? Conviction, liking, unbroken tradition, reasoning by analogy, & an agreement through pondering views. These are the five things that can turn out in two ways in the here-&-now. Now some things are firmly held in conviction and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not firmly held in conviction, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. Some things are well-liked… truly an unbroken tradition… well-reasoned… Some things are well-pondered and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not well-pondered, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. 

In these cases it isn’t proper for a knowledgeable person who safeguards the truth to come to a definite conclusion, ‘Only this is true; anything else is worthless.”

A little later, the brahmin Bharadvaja, the sutta’s protagonist, asks the Buddha about how direct experience of the truth is possible and the following dialogue unfolds in which the Buddha offers a view of the path.

“We ask Master Gotama about the quality most helpful for the final attainment of the truth.”

“Exertion is most helpful for the final attainment of the truth, Bharadvaja. If one didn’t make an exertion, one wouldn’t finally attain the truth. Because one makes an exertion, one finally attains the truth. Therefore, exertion is most helpful for the final attainment of the truth.”

“But what quality is most helpful for exertion? We ask Master Gotama about the quality most helpful for exertion.”

“Contemplating is most helpful for exertion, Bharadvaja. If one didn’t contemplate, one wouldn’t make an exertion. Because one contemplates, one makes an exertion. Therefore, contemplating is most helpful for exertion.”

“But what quality is most helpful for contemplating?…”

“Being willing… If one weren’t willing, one wouldn’t contemplate…”

“But what quality is most helpful for being willing?…”

“Desire… If desire didn’t arise, one wouldn’t be willing…”

“But what quality is most helpful for desire?…”

“Coming to an agreement through pondering dhammas… If one didn’t come to an agreement through pondering dhammas, desire wouldn’t arise…”

“But what quality is most helpful for coming to an agreement through pondering dhammas?…”

“Penetrating the meaning… If one didn’t penetrate the meaning, one wouldn’t come to an agreement through pondering dhammas…”

“But what quality is most helpful for penetrating the meaning?…”

“Remembering the Dhamma… If one didn’t remember the Dhamma, one wouldn’t penetrate the meaning…”

“But what quality is most helpful for remembering the Dhamma?… ”

“Hearing the Dhamma… If one didn’t hear the Dhamma, one wouldn’t remember the Dhamma…”

“But what quality is most helpful for hearing the Dhamma?… ”

“Lending ear… If one didn’t lend ear, one wouldn’t hear the Dhamma…”

“But what quality is most helpful for lending ear?… ”

“Growing close… If one didn’t grow close, one wouldn’t lend ear…”

“But what quality is most helpful for growing close?… ”

“Visiting… If one didn’t visit, one wouldn’t grow close…”

“But what quality is most helpful for visiting? We ask Master Gotama about the quality most helpful for visiting.”

“Conviction is most helpful for visiting, Bharadvaja. If conviction [in a person] didn’t arise, one wouldn’t visit [that person]. Because conviction arises, one visits. Therefore, conviction is most helpful for visiting.”