In the Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist Dharma teachings faith's essence is to make one's being, and perfect dharma, inseparable. The etymology is the aspiration to achieve one's goal. Faith's virtues are like a fertile field, a wishing gem, a king who enforces the law, someone who holds the carefulness stronghold, a boat on a great river and an escort in a dangerous place. Faith in karma causes temporary happiness in the higher realms. Faith is a mental state in the Abhidharma literature's fifty-one mental states. Perfect faith in the Buddha, his Teaching (Dharma) and the Order of his Disciples (Sangha) is comprehending these three jewels of refuge with serene joy based on conviction. The Tibetan word for faith is day-pa (Tib. དད་པ་གསུམ་, dépa sum; Wyl. dad pa gsum), which might be closer in meaning to confidence, or trust.
According to Chogyam Trungpa (1939 to 1987), faith means "accepting what is there" or "accepting what has been taught" unselfishly. It is feeling unshakably steady and confident as well as knowing what to cultivate and what to avoid. It means dedication to and conviction in one's own intelligence, which begins to manifest with one's guru, teacher, spiritual friend; this is awakened faith, real faith based on someone else acknowledging your existence. Genuine faith is without expectations, it is developed with renunciation. Emptiness is based on faith, with the idea of not getting anything in return. Right faith develops trust in all sentient beings who are worthy to be objects of compassion. Faith in knowing the right path based on actual experience, one has a sense of being with forward vision, it also involves delightfulness and the first perception.
In the Nyingma "Vast Expanse Heart Essence" preliminary teachings, teacher Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) has faith preceding refuge. It is the first step opening the refuge gateway to the three jewels of faith: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It is also the first of the seven noble signs of wealth (faith with the six perfections). Having the ability to turn to the Dharma is the advantage of faith, among the five individual advantages. Lasting and stable faith is important and there are three main kinds: vivid faith, eager faith, and confident faith. A fourth to be aimed for is irreversible faith, when it becomes integral to the person and is refuge's cause, like a house's foundation serving the Dharma's three jewels. While lacking faith is one of the six stains in which the antidotes are the kinds of faith. Faith is a jewel that comes before all else blossoming in the heart's center. It is the essence of the Three Roots outer support power and it is Dharma's root.
Nature, categories, forms and characteristics
There are seven parts to developing faith according to Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje's (1904 -1987) preliminary practices of the Profound and Secret Heart Essence of the Dakini. Faith's nature is in the root of every kind of virtuous practice. Its nature is a clear, untroubled mind, discriminating and aware of what should be adopted and avoided. Faith is the cause that gives rise to interest and happiness, it is an antidote to laziness. Intelligent faith and devotion brings trust when developed from shamatha, vipashyana and tonglen practice. In general, the sutra teachings speak of four faith types: inspired faith, aspiring faith, confident faith and irreversible faith.
Three categories
Vivid faith - A clear fresh feeling of joy and devotion untainted by guile. Eager faith - Yearning to rid cyclic existence of suffering and to attain liberation and enlightenment. Comparable to the quest for riches. Confident faith - Confident that cyclic existence is to be emptied and Dharma will not fail.
Cultivating firm faith through meditation on impermanence, and devotion to a teacher can lead to positive signs. It gives protection and clears away sufferings of cyclic existence as it is the first step on the path to liberation when aroused intensely with the determination to be free.
Six forms
According to the Nyingma school's Choying Tobden Dorje (1787–1848), the ennobling positive six forms of faith are: