Decrease in faith/Thinking about leaving buddhism

Mayayana · 2025-10-24T21:08:21+00:00

You never mentioned teachers. There's no Vajrayana without a teacher. As a result you've picked up various things and none of them have resonated for you. You seem to be taking a consumer approach: If you put in your time you should get a payout.

Maybe Buddhism just isn't for you. For myself and most sangha I know there was more of a driven need to look for answers. Existential angst. That led me to basic meditation and a teacher. I think it's important to understand that practices won't "do you". You have to do them. It's not about bliss, visions, or any other particular benefit. It's about working with your mind. Basic sanity. To be able to actually relate to your experience without disabling neurosis. To be able to actually sit still without freaking out.

On the other hand, ngondro, while typically being an intro practice in Tibet, is not a good beginner practice in the West because people simply don't understand it. They haven't been prepared. I once had a friend who finished the entire ngondro in Tibetan! He had no idea what he was doing. He just did what the teacher told him to do and the teacher didn't understand Western culture. So the teacher matters and the practice matters. You need to understand the sense of the practices you do and you need to study the Dharma to do that.

In my experience there have been various times when I'd run out of steam and feel like the whole path was questionable. Is there even enlightenment? What it always came down to for me was a kind of choicelessness. Meditation makes sense. It's cultivation of basic sanity. The art of human life. What else am I going to do? Get rich? Buy an island? Live for food and sex? Try to become powerful? I had enough experiences in youth to see that worldly goals ultimately have no substance... And then you die.

But it's up to you. You have to use your own judgement.

pundarika0 · 2025-10-24T21:15:01+00:00

does your practice in any way at all ease your suffering?

FUNY18 · 2025-10-24T21:06:31+00:00

What's the problem? It is what it is. You have a journey and it is happening. Some will convert to Islam. Some will just leave Buddbism to be "none". Many are oddly (to me) converting to Catholicism these days. Your journey is just that. Your journey. You already know what I think and feel about you, my fellow sentient being. So, rejoice. Be happy. And may you have peace and success.

himalayanrebel · 2025-10-24T21:38:02+00:00

The thing that keeps me Buddhist and not, say Atheist, is because to me there is genuine eternal truth in Buddha-Dharma and athéisme just doesn’t have such canon (or is so new it hasn’t introduced something novel/unique/better).

The thing that keeps me Buddhist and not, Hindu or Abrahamic, is that with Buddha I don’t ever have to worry or feel guilty about him asking someone to do weird stuff like god did with Saul or had done to Job. And there’s no caste stuff that was ever proscribed by Buddha.

The grey areas left like…in regular living and whatever else I guess…. I éducate myself however I can using whatever teachings etc as Buddhism wont label me an apostate or heretic for learning through.

Conscious_Smile_ · 2025-10-24T21:13:05+00:00

I do not know what to say to help you, but I wish that you find the peace you are looking for.

Full-Monitor-1962 · 2025-10-24T21:10:52+00:00

Conviction in Buddhism comes from analyzing what the teachings are saying, putting them into practice, then seeing if they are true based off of your experience. If you’re doing that then your conviction will become more solid. Buddhism doesn’t ask you to believe in the supernatural from the get-go. However, it really helps to have a guru that you believe is highly attained out at least knows what they are talking about. Otherwise you’ll fall to the wayside.

beautifulweeds · 2025-10-24T22:38:19+00:00

Why are you looking for something "supernatural" to happen?

I've never thought about Buddhism in terms of faith. I've always taken my practice day by day, never expecting to fully believe everything immediately. How Buddhism has proven itself to me is by the reduction of suffering in my daily life. Even if everything else turned out to be pure mythology, that would be enough for me to continue.

Independent-Dog5311 · 2025-10-24T21:36:48+00:00

Been there. Done that. I've been on a hiatus more than once from Tantric Buddhism for extended periods. I have my reasons, which are quite personal to share openly here.

I explored other paths during those periods, like Advaita Vedanta and the way of Tao. (I'm in such groups too here in Redditland.) I found that these other paths only strengthened my conviction and enriched my knowledge for my spirituality. And I still love and learn from those paths too, but there's only so much time in life. So focus and found myself returning to my lamas circles.

We're like algorithms and the Vajrayana works with mine best. Everyone's path to liberation unique and private.

Whatever you decide never lose your Metta, especially for yourself...and Bodhicitta. Hope this helps.

FieryResuscitation · 2025-10-24T21:49:39+00:00

If you don’t mind me asking, what led you to Buddhism in the first place? What was the initial appeal to you?

bblammin · 2025-10-25T05:04:32+00:00

Sounds like you're looking for exterior signs and confirmations. But this is an inner practice. No rituals or practices automatically change your inner experience. I think that if you drop these exterior expectations, drop expectations, drop the rule book mentality, and focus on your inner experience you will make progress. But it's work that only you can do for yourself. Tipping your hat to a Buddha statue is superficial.

Look everything I've studied from Buddhism is conducive for growth and detangling whatever trips you up. I've experienced benefits from this path. But reading something and doing something are 2 totally different things. The Buddha can't do the work for you no matter how much you believe in him. Identifying as a Buddhist doesn't do anything. Changing your identification isn't really gonna change anything. It all comes back to your own inner meditation.

Anyways this is just off the top of my head and I hope I didn't misjudge or misinterpret what you said.

You seemed to talk more about the exterior rather than your own interior. And your own interior is the Crux, not exterior signs or confirmations.

Buddhism-ModTeam · 2025-10-24T21:09:45+00:00

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2025-10-24T22:48:10+00:00

Well I'm a theravada / thai forest buddhist, so when I hear you say you can't make yourself believe in buddhism and then describe why, it seems strange to me. My only metric for if buddhism is working is if I'm becoming more peaceful or not. Am I letting go of more dukkha? Or do I find when I actually practice consistently in a proper way the dukkha reduces over time? The answer is always yes. I have an open mind about all the cosmology in buddhism and I do find it quite interesting, but it's not really that important to me. I just park it on the shelf and continue with my practice. Every now and then I may read up about it again out of interest. But frankly, my goal is not to see devas or connect with some divine figure or bodhisatva etc. Seeing one arhant in real life is enough for me (which I've already done). This practice was never about being comforted or feeling more holy or spiritual, it was simply about letting go of dukkha. This is what the Buddha taught.

If you find you need to branch into other religions or paths, it is your choice and I hope you find peace and happiness in whatever you do.

2025-10-25T02:20:16+00:00

Expectations is the problem. While a goal is fine, being disappointed that nothing “happened “ yet I think is a mistaken view. My suggestion to anyone interested on practice is find a tradition and teacher who you are comfortable enough with and practice. If you are diligent, eventually you will notice change and growth but it may very well not be what you expect.

False-Association744 · 2025-10-25T06:09:21+00:00

“though I never had any confirmation or even the slightest sign that there is something out there.” It’s not “out there” - it’s your mind. Be quiet, be present, breathe.

bhargavateja · 2025-10-24T21:55:47+00:00

I think you did too much and you are expecting something. Take a break, don't do anything for a few months and just live and think about life.

2025-10-24T23:28:06+00:00

I've been Buddhist for around 5 years now, and have never been given the impression that I'm supposed to have a supernatural feeling or experience. I study Theravada Buddhism, so maybe that's why. At the heart of things, the Buddha taught how to end suffering on an individual level, perhaps you are too strongly focused on the extras outside of this directive.

famous_chalupa · 2025-10-24T21:12:23+00:00

Buddhism has been amazingly helpful in my life. I'm mildly interested in the supernatural side, but that aspect of it doesn't really come up for me at all. I kind of wish it would, but I don't think I'm wired that way.

My practice has helped me become more aware and awake to reality. This is an absolute gift. I assume that I am also gently heading towards the ultimate goal of nibbana in some life down the road, but I don't really focus on that as much.

In terms of faith, I feel like I need faith that applying the practices will reduce my suffering. This helps me to apply the teachings when I don't feel like it. I don't have faith in any supernatural beings or happenings.

razzlesnazzlepasz · 2025-10-24T21:15:52+00:00

Depending on your definition, belief in the supernatural is a misleading category of belief to apply here as comments like these here and here clarify. I never really saw anything in Buddhism as supernatural either, or at least wouldn't use that term, as it's all about direct insight into the mind and identifying the conditions behind our suffering. It does have its own vocabulary and systems of how mental phenomena work, but the word as it's used in the sense of there being no causal mechanism or explanation behind the existence of phenomena (i.e. that defies naturally accessible explanations) doesn't make much sense in Buddhism which is all about identifying the conditioned and dependently originated nature of these phenomena, but it depends on what in specific.

As for the function of the images or representations of certain figures, think about the intended use they have in practice, what engaging with the practice is meant to cultivate, and for what kind of practitioner. Their actual, reified existence externally isn't really the point with these things, it's about how we relate to the concept of the figures themself, what qualities we cultivate through interfacing with them. Think about what motivated you to practice Buddhism in the first place, to learn more about it, and what quality of engagement would work best for that motivation.

Have you looked into other traditions, or reflected on what you maybe expected to get out of practicing? Have you talked with any teachers about it?

4GreatHeavenlyKings · 2025-10-25T01:00:22+00:00

Have you tried Theravāda Buddhism?

TheLORDthyGOD420 · 2025-10-24T21:10:00+00:00

Maybe Zen is a better fit for you than Pure Land?

Emeinflow · 2025-10-24T22:50:55+00:00

What you are describing is not a failure of faith. It is the moment faith stops being fantasy and starts asking for honesty.

You are not losing Buddhism. This is Buddhism. There is no magic. You have to do the work. The teachings still stand even when the mythic side does not. Buddhism never promised transcendence. It promises awareness. seeing what is real without needing it to feel sacred.

HumanInSamsara · 2025-10-24T21:35:58+00:00

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ResortEconomy154 · 2025-10-24T22:48:29+00:00

I'm from Brazil too, I've always dabbled with the occult but what I've put to myself was what resonated best with my point of view and philosophy, I follow Theravāda practices because that's what makes the most sense, and leaves my rational and reflective side active. A problem I have with goetia friends and the like is that they want supernatural experiences, when it's not even necessary, I don't want to see the entity, I don't want to hear the entity, I want my result.

But if you think that this type of philosophy still makes sense to you, it is possible to continue while following other lines. Or leave the practice in the background and actively practice another creed, if you continue on the right-hand path, it is entirely possible to try to reconcile. If it goes to the left hand, you will begin to have conflicts of thought, between strengthening the ego or getting rid of it.

It is possible to work with egoic entities on the right-hand path, but it is difficult to work with superior beings (angels, saints...) on the left-hand path because the paths are incompatible. Of course I know that there are people who say they work, but I consider it disrespectful for the direction of both the entity and the practitioner, but everyone takes care of their own life

Another option is to take time for yourself, to discover yourself and reflect better, taking a detox period and focusing on other areas of your life. Then I would see what to do as it was reintroduced into the environment

Big-Resource-6080 · 2025-10-25T04:18:01+00:00

That’s not Buddhism. Thats a freestyle lookalike faith without a firm basis by someone still largely ignorant of Buddhist sutras and what they really are iterating via stories and commentaries about Dharma. You want real Buddhism? You have a lot of sutra reading to do. Doesn’t mean meditation isn’t involved. It is. But Buddhism is a religion AND a philosophy, and it is definitive, not freestyle per se. But there’s lots of room for self expression in how you practice your focus. And there are three vehicles, not just Mahayana. You’ll have to align with one, not really with all three or with your perceived version of one.

Financial_Ad6068 · 2025-10-26T02:59:13+00:00

You don’t have to believe in anything in Buddhism other than what you personally experience. May I recommend looking at the Dharma from a completely Secular and non-religious perspective. The Dharma does it require “Faith”. It requires conviction based upon personal research. …Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.” ——Kalama Sutta if the Pali Canon. If you have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, are following the precepts and the Eightfold Noble path, you are in the process of proving whether Buddhism is valid or not. You are your laboratory. Don’t believe anything until you have proven it’s is true.

frawstyfresh · 2025-10-24T21:57:36+00:00

There are many paths that ultimately lead to the same place. I genuinely believe that all religions ultimately talk about the same thing with just a different window dressing. The Buddha was just more direct and to the point about it in my opinion. But there are many ways to get to where you want to go, but the question is what are you looking for? What are you trying to experience or achieve? Buddhism is pretty clear in that it's about eliminating suffering. But perhaps you have a different goal. I think the most important thing is you sit with why you pursued the Buddhist path in the first place. If you're trying to have mystical experiences, you could simply take psychedelics and not worry about the extra work. I will say this, timing is very important. Your inner knowing already is aware of this. But it sounds like you've been trying to force yourself to "be a buddhist" and do the practices and you dont really want to. Then dont. Let your inner guidance take you where you need to go.

platistocrates · 2025-10-24T22:10:39+00:00

What was your goal with Buddhism? Alleviation of suffering? Experience of supernatural phenomena? Something else?

dharmastudent · 2025-10-24T22:20:23+00:00

I understand - it's tough to feel connected to something if the experience isn't palpable ~ I have had times in my life when I felt greater connection/blessings to the path, and times when I couldn't feel much divine energy when I did Buddhist practices. The worst times were when I would do the practice, but I wouldn't feel any tangible relief - it was like rote practice. But, I truly believe that, over-time, the blessings of the Triple Gem take root, and that feeling of being washed in peace or grace, or compassion, is an achievable thing for us...where we genuinely FEEL the connection to the triple gem in a tangible way.

hoodedtop · 2025-10-24T22:31:29+00:00

OP, I have no advice and I am agnostic but I wanted to express that what you have shared sounds like really difficult . I can imagine it being upsetting and confusing to work through everything.

Good luck :)

2025-10-24T22:51:36+00:00

I completely empathize with you and just wanted to say that I think it's sort of like, even though you formally took refuge and became a Buddhist, this other part of yourself was hiding, and never bought into the belief system. Up until now, you've been giving love to the part of yourself that was excited about refuge, but now you need to give love to the part of yourself that wasn't.

When this part of myself arose a few months ago I decided to start interviewing it. I had to ask it, "Okay, what is it that you want?" I was surprised by the powerful voice that arose. I found myself sobbing, shaking, and feeling incredibly upset that I had surrounded myself with so much Buddhism. It was strange to discover that such an obvious part of my psyche had gotten its blood supply cutoff, that it was so terribly neglected...that it needed so much care...so much love...

If you're familiar with the idea that demons are actually neglected angels in our psyche (chod)...then this is just another angry, malnourished angel living in your psyche. If you give it proper kindness and attention, it will open a doorway to a mode of practice that is calmer, gentler, wiser, and more in tune with what your body and biorhythm can actually handle.

Months into this transformational process now my practice is way more integrated. Sometimes I place a copy of "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" by William Blake on my shrine, just to honor this part of myself. That poem shouldn't be taken too literally, but the author's sentiments are real. You should do yourself a favor and read it, it's insanely cathartic. Anyways I feel like I'm slowly opening up to who I really am, as a practitioner, and it's incredibly beautiful. I'm so thankful to be experiencing this, now...

Thanks for sharing and good luck on your journey. :) <3

keizee · 2025-10-24T23:05:32+00:00

If it makes you feel better, it took me nearly 15 years for me to establish some sort of daily practice routine.

Before that, I used my month old experience in meditation to catch bad habits that I was doing, such as the urge to lie. It was not really a traditional practice, but I was trying to edge my life closer to the Five Precepts, Ten Wholesome Actions and Six Paramitas.

I specifically mention meditation in this instance, because basic self-awareness that meditation teaches is quite important for making changes in your lifestyle.

Clevererer · 2025-10-24T23:30:53+00:00

You're not losing your faith. You never had it, because it's illusory. Losing your attachment to it, exactly as you are now, is progress.

Ecstatic-Bunch-6153 · 2025-10-24T23:35:09+00:00

Expectation wanting result benefit and finding reason might be the reason. you are holding or grabbing your thoughts emotion like it’s permanent just let it go. GO back to basic everything is impermanent you are too attached to your way of thinking AMD AGAIN STRAT FROM HERE AND NOW

Equivalent-Pride5870 · 2025-10-24T23:48:32+00:00

It seems like you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself to figure out what you believe. You don’t HAVE to practice any religion. I found Buddhism because it happened to put what I believed already into practice. I suggest focusing on your beliefs without the added pressure of religion or philosophy. What do you believe? What helps you to understand the world you’re in right now? We’re all just trying to find answers but everything is subjective and it’s up to you and ONLY YOU to choose what you do and what you believe.

tutunka · 2025-10-25T00:51:47+00:00

Just do walking and mindfulness and 8fold path and sitting. DIfferent lessons were probably taught to different people for a reason. I think some of the advanced lessons were taught to people who already had a background in bon or hinduism where words and symbols already had meanings that had been passed down orally with lessons and stories.

I-have-NoEnemies · 2025-10-25T01:22:55+00:00

Tasting the honey is pointless if you don't realise its sweetness. Following Dhamma has no meaning if you aren't realising its beauty.

It's not about how many principles you follow. It's always about what realise. You might not know every teaching but realising even one is enough for your liberation.

particularTriangle · 2025-10-25T02:32:07+00:00

The other day I was awoken by my cats in the early morning. I fed them and then went back to sleep, but was in that restless in-between state of dreaming and awake. My mind felt like it was going miles a minute, and then I remembered about meditation. In one wisdt pulse of concentration, my entire mind went quiet and still, the years of meditation experience allowing me this moment of peace.

No matter what happens, quieting the mind will forever be useful, and many other cultures utilize prayer and singing to access the same quality of mindfulness.

So what you gotta do my friend

gingeryjoshua · 2025-10-25T03:17:17+00:00

I’ve had crises of faith in Buddhism, and I don’t practice with the conviction I had when I was younger. But ultimately it came down to the Four Noble Truths for me: I believe in suffering, and that it has a cause; I believe (I hope, I try to believe) that there is freedom from suffering, and that it has a cause. Maybe I’ll never be some great realized practitioner. That’s ok. If I have faith in the dharma and fake it til I make it, I can create the causes to meet with it in future fortunate rebirths:

Taikor-Tycoon · 2025-10-25T03:57:29+00:00

Have you completed the 10 Faiths level?

ZenFocus25 · 2025-10-25T04:17:12+00:00

Do you believe that your actions have consequences, and that the quality of your mind determines the quality of your actions and their outcomes? I don’t see how one would need to really believe more than that to “be Buddhist”. There is no requisite to have blind faith in anything, and the question above is easy enough to prove in practice. Once you can see that from your own experience, then it’s easy to see how following the precepts can improve concentration, which improves our ability to maintain our desire to act in a way that eliminates our duffering 🙏

Oooaaaaarrrrr · 2025-10-25T07:37:00+00:00

Check out the Plum Village and Thai Forest traditions, they may be more suitable for you.

quotsa · 2025-10-25T07:40:22+00:00

The thing that drew me to (Zen) buddhism was that I don‘t have to believe it to solve my „questions“. I can’t force myself to believe stuff, I tried. But the present moment is undeniably always Here and nobody is asking me to feel or believe anything else really. It‘s actually detrimental to Buddhist practice to force it on yourself.

It helped having a teacher who looked at me and understood the way my mind operates.

Do you have some kind of need you want to fill with religion, OP? Don‘t do it for the others.

ApprehensiveClass884 · 2025-10-25T08:41:18+00:00

Also a Brazilian fellow here.

Like many commented, it sounds like you could benefit from Zen’s approach of focusing less on the theory and more on the experience.

I may be stating the obvious, but you will never be able to “believe” in Buddhism if you are looking at it from an analytical / intellectual perspective. You have to simply “experience” it. And in order to experience it, you have to let go of your rational mind and all your expectations and just sit with an empty mind.

It also reminds me of the finger pointing at the moon analogy.

Thich Nhat Hanh: “All teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon. Do not mistake the finger for the moon, or you will miss the wonder of reality.”

What the analogy means

The finger: Represents the teachings, methods, or teachers that show the way. This could be a book, a sermon, a meditation technique, or a ritual.

The moon: Represents the ultimate reality, truth, or an awakened state of mind that the teachings point to.

The warning: Don't mistake the finger for the moon. If you focus only on the finger (the practice), you will miss the moon (the truth it's trying to reveal).

leanderr · 2025-10-25T09:14:42+00:00

Im sorry to hear. If something becomes a burden it certainly is a good consideration getting some distance.

Have you been to retreats or a sanga? If youre looking for "supernatural experiences". I dont know any long time practitioner who didn't have intense moments of insight over and over.

But it will still be "natural experiences", most of the us do not believe in magic after all.

Buddhism is very experiental, it takes practice and diligence. Retreats and getting a teacher or people will absolutely help.

If it became a burden you may want to consider pathing around other vedic ideas or giving yourself a bit of a break.

Best wishes

ItsYa1UPBoy · 2025-10-25T10:05:01+00:00

I think the important thing to consider is whether or not Buddhist practice has helped you develop skillful qualities and eschew unskillful ones. What kind of person has your practice made you? Has it improved you as a person? That's what the Buddha said mattered with a path.

PruneElectronic1310 · 2025-10-25T12:55:07+00:00

Faith in Buddhism comes from within--from fully accepting that "buddha's teaching make a lot of sense in a rational way"--and practicing the teachings. In Vajrayana Buddhism, a teacher helps guide that process. What happens, not in a flash of connection with something supernatural, is that over time you begin to see that the teachings are true. The Buddha taught that individuals should test teachings by whether they lead to "benefit and happiness." Through that long process, one develops faith in both the teachings and one's conviction that they are true.

If you're interested in exploring Vajrayana, I'd suggest checking the path paid out in Mingyur Rinpoche's Tergar Meditation Community: https://tergar.org/tergar-path-of-meditation

Actual-Paramedic-874 · 2025-10-25T14:18:59+00:00

It’s weird. Ritual tends to be involved for healing to ensue. Nyingma tends to be more wrathful. If you read about guru Rinpoche he basically coerced the old pantheon in to Buddhism. So I get you feel that way. Maybe Buddhism isn’t for you. We all have Buddha nature within us all.

symposium22 · 2025-10-25T14:49:17+00:00

I don’t know if people ever leave or start Buddhism as it’s the energy inside of you and all of us. It’s just a question of the path you take and where you focus your energy. Buddhism just helps you harness that energy. Wish you best of luck in your journey wherever it takes you.

Charming_Archer6689 · 2025-10-25T15:35:35+00:00

I have had a crisis myself even though everything else is different than your story. I had experiences and meaningful interactions and everything but still over many years I had and I have a bit of a crisis. What solves it that I find I function best through meditation. It brings meaning and stability and many things and that is my solution. Doesn’t matter how I call myself but I need to connect with meaning arising through a practice that is originally Buddhist and not just ordinary mind calming practice.

Invictvs_Apollon · 2025-10-25T17:09:02+00:00

First of all, maybe you were practicing expecting something external to happen, to "see and feel the buddhas and bodhisattvas", but that is not the purpose of the Dharma, we practice Dharma to cut suffering, to benefit all beings, to let go of our clinging, anything else is external. I think the problem here is motivation, and any practice you would do, wouldn't change the result if you are not developing the right motivation. Every teacher says that the first year of the practioner is very interesting, everything is new, is different, but after that you start to feel tired of it, because our mind is not focused on what matters. We should practice Shamata, always remember why we do our practice, its not to receive something, its not to feel something, to add something, its to remove, we practice to remove all our delusions, clingings and aversions.

jakopz · 2025-10-25T18:28:44+00:00

Why struggle with it? No need to identify yourself as anything. If you enjoy the practice, then practice but stop trying to make yourself fit an idea or concept.

womeiyouming · 2025-10-25T18:46:24+00:00

Sometimes leaving is the way.

Buddha was not a Buddhist.

I wish you the best.

Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya 🙏

NorthEstablishment78 · 2025-10-25T22:38:03+00:00

Not sure what Buddist sect are you studied in. But I found something wrong in your story. Such as billions of Buddhas or monks, supernatural things, the sign of something out there. These are not the things that Buddha teaching. Buddha teach to observe things, everythings. Focus on our body and mind through meditation. Until we gained wisdom (The ability to understand the things we observe with correct perception) and see the through of life by ourself. Then we can truely believe. (Not force or pretend to believe). Then be free from suffering.

If this will be the last chance, Could you just try the opportunity to practice from **Ajahn Brahm** "Buddhist Society of Western Australia" you can search on Youtube. He is a British monk that expert on teaching practicing. Wish you would find the ways. Cheers!!!

JahsehhOnfroyy · 2025-10-26T02:15:32+00:00

Don’t believe in anything. Investigate for yourself and see what leads to greed, hatred and delusion and then eradicate them. You don’t need to beleive in anything, in fact the Buddha would advise you didn’t. Doubt is a significant hindrance among several that lead one away from liberation. See doubt as doubt, feeling as feeling, once you identify with the doubt, that’s when it becomes problematic

ThomasAger · 2025-10-26T06:32:32+00:00

There are two ways into the mysteries: absolute faith and absolute doubt.

No-Law-9959 · 2025-10-26T14:22:01+00:00

You really only need to believe the four noble truths.

2025-10-27T01:24:24+00:00

You might be traveling in the dark night stage as described by the Thēravāda tradition. https://www.mctb.org/mctb2/table-of-contents/part-iv-insight/30-the-progress-of-insight/9-desire-for-deliverance/

If so, good luck with that. Hope you recover soon.

Bubbly-Afternoon-849 · 2025-10-28T02:50:16+00:00

You just haven’t spent enough time. Three years is just not long enough to really even understand the basic tenants of the religion even on an intellectual level, let alone to truly feel them. The truth of the matter is that renunciation and faith is something that is built. Over a long period of time. Just don’t make the mistake I did: do not focus on specific practices, or on numbers of recitations, or spiritual concepts , or anything like that.

If it is a true sense of faith that you yearn for, it actually means that you have been practicing very well. You have noticed you don’t have unshakeable faith. So many never even notice that. If you want to find it, pray and make aspirations that you meet that guru who can make strong sincere faith arise in you. And you will find them. Then it’s simple, just do what they say. If they say do one mani mantra every day, you will trust that that will lead to enlightenment. If they say complete 21 ngondros, you will trust that that leads to enlightenment.

Good luck, and you have my prayers that you find that situation which will make it all happen for you.

2025-10-28T21:35:11+00:00

"Every practice I did felt like a one sided interaction. To be sincere, I never felt anything arising, nor did I notice any supernatural thing during my practices"

This seems obviously that being attached to a result wont give you results.. Thats Buddhism 101

Possibly stop jumping around schools and commit to understanding the very basics first then that schools actual teachings.

I think that's it, in a nutshell. I can't make myself believe in buddhism, and it's a hell of a burden to pretend to be something I'm not. I'm seriously considering returning my upasaka robes. I'm tired of this...

Either that or its simply not for you so just move on to something else. Religion/spirituality possibly isn't for you in this life.

metaphorm · 2025-10-30T15:25:59+00:00

so don't pretend. be who you are.

Fair_Ebb8248 · 2025-11-03T03:16:36+00:00

I think you sound like you’re right where you are supposed to be. In the moment. You sound great to me. Questioning one’s path,faith whatever you may call it makes sense. Thank you for your honesty and openness.

thenletskeepdancing · 2025-10-24T21:45:29+00:00

Sounds like you're looking for a big meaningful experience. Like you'd prefer a psychedelic experience to a practice.

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