No Blind Faith

The Buddha did not promise heavenly bliss or reward to those who called themselves his followers. Nor did he promise salvation to those who had faith in him. To the Buddha, religion is not a bargain but a noble way of life to gain Awakening and Freedom, Enlightenment, for oneself and others. He did not want followers who believed him blindly; He taught us to think and understand for ourselves.

The Buddha urged all to come forth to discover more about Buddhism and not simply believe in it. He advised choosing a proper religion by considering and investigating it in various ways, without accepting anything through emotion or blind faith. This is why Buddhism is sometimes called the religion of analysis. In it is the scientific logical analysis of mind and matter which modern intelligence appreciates. Even today, Buddhist are encouraged to have the attitude of a healthy skeptic, even towards the Buddhist scriptures.