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Should you have "faith" in your guru, Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha?

 You need saddha (justifiable-trust, not blind faith or sloppy lazy faith that people tend to default to),

but here's the definitive answer from the Buddha,
given in the context of when he was near death,
when his two chief disciples had passed away before him.

dn16 Mahāparinibbānasutta The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s nirvana
dn26 Cakkavattisutta The Wheel-Turning Monarch
sn47.9 Gilānasutta Sick
sn47.13 Cundasutta With Cunda
sn47.14 Ukkacelasutta At Ukkacelā



(conclusion: 🏝️you island, Dharma refuge)

 
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave,So monks,
attadīpā viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā,be your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge.
dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā.Let The Dharma be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge.
 
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anaññasaraṇo?And how does a monk do this?
attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo,
dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu …It’s when …

(standard 4sp🐘 formula)

 
kāye kāyā-(a)nu-passī viharatiHe lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]他持续观察身体即身体【之真相】。
vedanāsu vedanā-(a)nu-passī viharatiHe lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]他持续观察感受即感受【之真相】。
citte cittā-(a)nu-passī viharatiHe lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]他持续观察心即心【之真相】。
dhammesu dhammā-(a)nu-passī viharatiHe lives continuously seeing ☸Dharma as ☸Dharma [truly is]他持续观察法即法【之真相】。
(… elided refrain from each way…)[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:【在正念的四种观察中】：
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],他精进，明辨清晰，正念【持续修行法】，
vineyya loke abhijjhā-do-manassaṃ;having removed greed and distress [5niv⛅] in regard to the world.已除去对世界的贪染与苦恼。
 
Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuThat’s how a monk
attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo,is their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge.
dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo.That’s how The Dharma is their island and their refuge, with no other refuge.
 
Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi vā mamaccaye vāWhether now or after I have passed,
attadīpā viharissanti attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā,any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge;
dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā;with The Dharma as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—
tamatagge mete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū bhavissanti ye keci sikkhākāmā”ti.those monks of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.”

So given the choice between these 4: guru, Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha


The Buddha would say "Dhamma" is your refuge.


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