"Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto"
About this Quote
That makes the quote feel startlingly contemporary. It anticipates a world saturated with claims to truth and asks for a higher burden of proof. Not proof in a laboratory sense, but in a moral and experiential one: test it, examine it, see whether it is reasonable, then let your conduct follow. The final clause matters. This is not doubt for sport. It is disciplined inquiry aimed at living differently.
The subtext is political as much as spiritual. In the social world Buddha inhabited, religious knowledge was often guarded by rank, ritual, and lineage. To tell listeners not to submit to "masters and priests" on authority alone is to loosen the grip of hierarchy. It shifts legitimacy from the speaker's status to the hearer's discernment. That is a radical redistribution of power.
Its rhetorical power comes from the relentless repetition of "Do not believe". The cadence strips away one false foundation after another until only examined judgment remains. Yet the passage is not nihilistic. It does not end in disbelief; it ends in responsibility. Truth, here, is not something handed down intact. It is something verified in the crucible of thought and action.
Quote Details
| Topic | Reason & Logic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Buddha. (2026, March 10). Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/believe-nothing-on-the-faith-of-traditions-even-185986/
Chicago Style
Buddha. "Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto." FixQuotes. March 10, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/believe-nothing-on-the-faith-of-traditions-even-185986/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto." FixQuotes, 10 Mar. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/believe-nothing-on-the-faith-of-traditions-even-185986/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
