Faith is often translated from the Pali language, as saddhā, which means “to place the heart upon”. However, in these times of great change and crisis, what do we place our heart upon? Buddhism teaches that everything is changing and impermanent. So, how do we cultivate the wisdom and the resolve to act, when there is no ground to stand on and we have no control of how things will turn out? This week, Sonia spotlights a talk from Narayan Helen Liebenson about faith, for us to explore these questions together.
The talk Sonia played is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/2946/
Sonia also read this quote
a person who falls off of a very high cliff. This person is in free fall, without anything to catch them. Terrified, the body tenses up. The mind is consumed with fear: “This is not going to end well!” However, after falling for some time, this person looks down and realizes that there is no ground. There is just empty space below. At this point, they relax. They begin to enjoy the falling. This person recognizes that they are being held by the Dharma, the nature of things, the way things are.
– Liebenson, Narayan Helen. The Magnanimous Heart: Compassion and Love, Loss and Grief, Joy and Liberation (p. 119). Wisdom Publications. Kindle Edition.
