In buddhism it is important that we establish right view, right understanding, right from the start of the path. Right view is the first factor of the noble eightfold path that leads to enlightenment.
As Zen writer and speaker Ted Biringer says, “Accurate understanding is not authentic realization. At the same time, authentic realization can hardly be expected to occur without accurate understanding. And while an absence of “right understanding� almost excludes the possibility of authentic realization, the presence of “wrong understanding� excludes even the slimmest hope of success. If we aspire to realize what Zen practice-enlightenment truly is, then, as Dogen says, “We should inquire into it, and we should experience it.� To follow his guidance here we will need to understand his view of what “it� is that needs to be inquired into, and who the “we� is that is to do the inquiring.�
This means that even before we have personal experience of things such as karma, rebirth, enlightenment and so on, we have to accept by faith these doctrines.
So for one who does not have personal experience of these matters, they should accept by faith the doctrines such as karma, rebirth, four noble truths, enlightenment, no-self, emptiness, three dharma seals, dependent origination and so on.
Of course this does not mean the entire path consists only of faith. We should do our best to personally realize and experience everything the Buddha taught.
In the Eastern Gatehouse sutra:
SN 48.44 PTS: S v 220 CDB ii 1689
Pubbakotthaka Sutta: Eastern Gatehouse
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1997–2012
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at the Eastern Gatehouse. There he addressed Ven. Sariputta: “Sariputta, do you take it on conviction that the faculty of conviction, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation? Do you take it on conviction that the faculty of persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation?�
“Lord, it’s not that I take it on conviction in the Blessed One that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation. Those who have not known, seen, penetrated, realized, or attained it by means of discernment would have to take it on conviction in others that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation; whereas those who have known, seen, penetrated, realized, & attained it by means of discernment would have no doubt or uncertainty that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation. And as for me, I have known, seen, penetrated, realized, & attained it by means of discernment. I have no doubt or uncertainty that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation.�
“Excellent, Sariputta. Excellent. Those who have not known, seen, penetrated, realized, or attained it by means of discernment would have to take it on conviction in others that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation; whereas those who have known, seen, penetrated, realized, & attained it by means of discernment would have no doubt or uncertainty that the faculty of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment, when developed & pursued, gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its goal & consummation.�