Caveat: Miracles of Unbelief

There is a tradition in Buddhism of "acts of truth" as being capable of having great power – of healing, blessing, etc.

This is the use of "truth" as a kind of magic. But the examples that circulate in Buddhist tradition are often humorously ironic.

This anecdote is given by Donald Lopez, Jr, in his book The Story of Buddhism.

…a young boy is bitten by a poisonous snake. The distraught parents stop a passing monk and ask him to use his medical knowledge to save the child. The monk replies that the situation is so grave that the only possible cure is an act of truth. The father says, "If I have never seen a monk that I did not think was a scoundrel, may the boy live." The poison leaves the boy's leg. The mother says, "If I have never loved my husband, may the boy live." The poison retreats to the boy's waist. The monk says, "If I have never believed a word of the dharma but found it utter nonsense, may the boy live." The boy rises, completely cured.

This is a near perfect inversion of the miracle stories of some other religious traditions, wherein someone can be saved by professions of faith. Here, a profession of lack of faith brings the miracle, simply because it is honest. This is, perhaps, why I find Buddhism appealing.

[daily log: walking, 6km]

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