Seeker of truth has to understand, assimilate and constantly reflect on fact that, the soul is the true self. However, "believing in" doctrines about non dualism is not the point of formless path.
Formless path is for understanding the Self and the world in a different way. Scriptures are not meant to be accepted on blind faith. The seeker of truth should not be idolatrous about or bound to any scriptures, theory, or ideology. Formless path is the guiding means; one finds the absolute truth" when he verifies through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the base of the soul as self.
The absolute truth cannot be contained in words and concepts. Thus, merely believing in words and concepts is not the formless path. There is no point in believing in reincarnation/rebirth, for example. Rather, one has to indulge in deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the base of the soul, which is the true self, in order to realize a self not subject to birth, life and death.
To say that doctrines and teachings shouldn't be accepted on blind faith. They are important for religionists. Formless path is like maps to follow on a spiritual journey, or a boat to carry the seekers across a river. Meditation or mantra or rituals and prayers are pointless in pursuit of truth. But for the beginners in pursuit of truth they have a real impact on their life and outlook.
Pursuit of truth is not to accept any belief blindly without verification. Over the centuries religionists have developed diverse schools with distinctive, and sometimes contradictory, doctrines. Often one might read that "one school of thought believe" such and such a thing, when in fact that doctrine belongs only to one school and not to all of other schools of thought.
To compound confusion further, throughout world one can find a kind of folk Belief system in which the Sage/Saints /God men and other iconic characters from religious literature are believed to be divine beings who can hear prayers and grant wishes. Clearly, most people are with beliefs. Focusing on those beliefs will teach them little about the ultimate truth, however.
If one wants to know and assimilate the ultimate truth, he has to put aside all assumptions. Put aside assumptions about belief system, and then assumptions about religion. Put aside assumptions about the nature of the self, of reality, of existence. Keep himself open to new understanding. Whatever beliefs he holds, hold in an open mind and not with preconceived ideas, and see where it takes him.
Formless path is for understanding the Self and the world in a different way. Scriptures are not meant to be accepted on blind faith. The seeker of truth should not be idolatrous about or bound to any scriptures, theory, or ideology. Formless path is the guiding means; one finds the absolute truth" when he verifies through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the base of the soul as self.
The absolute truth cannot be contained in words and concepts. Thus, merely believing in words and concepts is not the formless path. There is no point in believing in reincarnation/rebirth, for example. Rather, one has to indulge in deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the base of the soul, which is the true self, in order to realize a self not subject to birth, life and death.
To say that doctrines and teachings shouldn't be accepted on blind faith. They are important for religionists. Formless path is like maps to follow on a spiritual journey, or a boat to carry the seekers across a river. Meditation or mantra or rituals and prayers are pointless in pursuit of truth. But for the beginners in pursuit of truth they have a real impact on their life and outlook.
Pursuit of truth is not to accept any belief blindly without verification. Over the centuries religionists have developed diverse schools with distinctive, and sometimes contradictory, doctrines. Often one might read that "one school of thought believe" such and such a thing, when in fact that doctrine belongs only to one school and not to all of other schools of thought.
To compound confusion further, throughout world one can find a kind of folk Belief system in which the Sage/Saints /God men and other iconic characters from religious literature are believed to be divine beings who can hear prayers and grant wishes. Clearly, most people are with beliefs. Focusing on those beliefs will teach them little about the ultimate truth, however.
If one wants to know and assimilate the ultimate truth, he has to put aside all assumptions. Put aside assumptions about belief system, and then assumptions about religion. Put aside assumptions about the nature of the self, of reality, of existence. Keep himself open to new understanding. Whatever beliefs he holds, hold in an open mind and not with preconceived ideas, and see where it takes him.
