ONE WHO IS NOT CREDULOUS

One who is not credulous- all kinds of things can be understood from this word. The first impression is that it refers to one who does not believe, in invisible things without having an experience of them, as distinct from people who follow, for example, a particular religion and have faith in dogmas simply because that is what they have been taught. But he “has the sense of the Uncreated”, that is so say, he is in contact with invisible things and knows them as they are, by identity. The Dhammapada has told us, to begin with, that the greater of men is he who has no faith in what is taught but has a personal experience of things that are not visible, he who is free from all belief and had himself had the experience of invisible things.

Another explanation can also be given: one who is not credulous is he who does not believe in the reality of appearances in things as we see them, who does not take them for the truth, who knows that these are only misleading appearances and that the behind them lies a truth is to be found and known by personal experience and by identity.

And this makes one reflect on the number of things, the countless number of things that we believe without any personal knowledge, simply because we have been taught that they are like that, or because we are accustomed to think they are like that, or because we are surrounded by people who believe that things are like that. If we look at all the things that we believe and not only believe but assert with an indisputable authority,” This is like this,” “That, but of course it is like that” “And this thing, yes, it is so….” In truth, however, we know nothing about it; it is simply because we are in the habit of thinking that they are like that. What are the things that you have experienced personally, with which you have had a direct contact, of which you can at least say with sincerity, “I am convinced that it is like that, because I have experienced it?” Not many. Now go and look into your thought and consciousness for all the things that you assert without proof. You will see!