What the Buddha Taught

In Walpola Rahula’s classic work, What the Buddha Taught, he characterizes Buddhism as a uniquely tolerant and non-violent religion, building a theme of tolerance, respect and freedom of thought in Buddhism. One important part of this theme is Rahula’s discussion on the Buddha’s treatment of doubt and disbelief. Rahula reports that when curious disciples or laypeople expressed doubt about the Buddha’s teachings, he did not try to pressure or persuade them. Instead, he acknowledged the validity of their doubts and discussed it as a necessary step toward realization, or enlightenment.

This approach reflects a fundamental trust in individual experience and reasoning, rather than reliance on dogma. For instance, in one Buddhist account, the Buddha reassured a follower that it was acceptable for him to doubt religious authorities’ teachings and come to his own conclusions about the best way to live. Rahula writes that the Buddha said:

…it is proper that you have doubt, that you have perplexity, for a doubt has arisen in a matter which is doubtful…when you know for yourselves that certain things are unwholesome (akusala), and wrong, and bad, then give them up … And when you know for yourselves that certain things are wholesome (kusala) and good, then accept them and follow them (26).