Friends:
Faith is the Seed, Hand, and Wealth of Beings!
What is real
Richness?
Bhikkhus, when a Noble Disciple possesses 4 things, then he is said
to be rich, with much wealth and prosperous property. What four?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Noble Disciple possesses the faith of confirmed
confidence in the Buddha ... in the Dhamma ... and in the Sangha....
He possesses the moral purity that is praised by the Noble Ones,
unbroken ... untorn ... pure ... intact ... leading to concentration....
Any Noble Disciple who possesses these 4 things is really quite rich,
with much wealth and lush property.... SN V 402
Suffering is the
cause of Faith...
Elated Joy is the effect of Faith...
Entrance is the function of Faith...
Trusting is the characteristic of Faith...
Decisiveness is the manifestation of Faith...
Faith is a Hand that lifts one out of Suffering...
Faith is the Seed that make one grow the good...
Faith is the real wealth as it produces advantage...
Vism XIV 140
How does Faith
save one from pain?
When one has faith in the Tathagata
Unshakable and quite well established
And good behaviour built on morality
Liked by the Noble Ones and praised!
When one has confidence in the Sangha
And a view that has been made straight
Then they say, that one is not poor,
That one's life is not wasted...
Therefore should any intelligent person,
aware of the Buddha-Dhamma, be devoted
to the fine faith & moral purity, which gives
confirmed conviction of this saving Dhamma.
SN V 405
Buddha to the Ploughman:
Faith is my seed, simplicity the rain,
understanding my yoke and plough,
modesty is pole, & mind is the strap,
awareness is my ploughshare and goad.
Sn77
Alavaka - a demon
- once asked the Blessed Buddha:
What wealth here is best for any man?
What well practiced brings happiness?
What is the sweetest of all the flavours?
How lived, is this life best?
The Buddha:
Faith is the best wealth here for any human!
Dhamma well practiced brings happiness!
Truth indeed is unsurpassable sweet!
A wise life lived in understanding is best...
Alavaka:
How does one cross the flood of ills?
How is the ocean of existence crossed?
How is all suffering stilled?
How is one purified?
The Buddha:
By Faith is the flood of evil crossed!
By attention is the ocean crossed!
By effort is all suffering stilled!
By wisdom one is purified!
Sn 182-184
Faith is therefore
the only real Richness!