66
Aptavani-4
(4)
Shraddha (Faith)
Blind Faith – Ignorant Faith
A superintendent of a large farm once told me that he did
not believe in blind faith (andha-shraddha). I made a mental note
of what he said. Then while we were strolling in his farm, we came
across a patch of land that was fifty feet wide, and covered with
tall grass. As we crossed the patch, he leaped along with four-
foot long strides. I asked him, “You had no idea that there might
be snakes or scorpions in the grass, so how come you put your
feet in it?” What tremendous blind faith that is!
Without blind faith you cannot even eat, board a ship or
sit in a taxi! With what sort of faith (shraddha) do you sit in a
taxi? You do not have faith in the fact that there will not be an
accident. When you drink water at home, do you ever check to
see whether any lizards or insects have fallen into your tank or
whether your neighbors have dumped germicides in it? Therefore,
it is not possible to do anything without blind faith (andha-
shraddha).
What you understand or call blind faith, is not really blind
faith. It is ignorant faith (agnya-shraddha). The entire world lies
in ignorant faith. When children play with dolls and toys, it is
with ignorant faith; likewise, there is ignorant faith in religion.
Gnani Purush alone is without blind faith. His physical body
however, is in blind faith. Shortly, even ‘we’ will go home and
drink water without checking it, but ‘we’ do not have the
ownership of this body.