Faith Quote by Kaiten Nukariya
““Faith must be living and growing, and the living and growing faith should assume no fixed form. It might seem for a superficial observer to take a fixed form, as a running river appears constant, though it goes through ceaseless changes. The dead faith, immutable and conventional, makes its embracer appear religious and respectable, while it arrests his spiritual growth. It might give its owner comfort and pride, yet it at bottom proves to be fetters to his moral uplifting. It is on this account that Zen declares: "Buddha is nothing but spiritual chain or moral fetters,””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Zen teachings, contemporary author, Kaiten Nukariya
Faith should be dynamic and adaptable, not rigid; fixed beliefs become spiritual shackles that hinder moral growth.
In simple terms: Living faith evolves; rigid faith limits spiritual development.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate a flexible, growing belief system.
Themes
faith
spiritual growth
flexibility
Mood
contemplative
inspirational
Type
spiritual
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- community worship
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
Zen philosophy
moral development
psychology of belief
Questions to Reflect On
- What beliefs in your life feel fixed?
- How might openness enhance your moral journey?
A Different Perspective
Rigid doctrines can provide comfort but may also stifle progress.
![“Rin-zai also says: "Spirit is formless, but it penetrates through the world in the ten directions."[FN#149] The Sixth Patriarch expresses the same idea more explicitly: "What creates the phenomena is Mind; what transcends all the phenomena is Buddha."[FN#150]” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4e/kaiten-nukariya-793_spirit-formless_rin-zai-also-says-spirit-is-formless-but_13012.jpg)
![“it is the overcoming of egoism, the destroying of mean desires, the uplifting of the moral ideal, and the disclosing of inborn wisdom. [FN#12]” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ae/kaiten-nukariya-793_egoism_it-is-the-overcoming-of-egoism-the-destr_46308.jpg)
![“The fourth stage is called the Rank of Co-operative Merit,[FN#273] in which the student 'co-operates' with other persons in order to complete his merit. Now, he is not compared with a general who conquers his foe, but with the prime-minister who co-operates with other officials to the benefit of…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4a6/kaiten-nukariya-793_quote_the-fourth-stage-is-called-the-rank-of-c_48041.jpg){kind=icon}
![“2. The Errors of Philosophical Pessimists and Religious Optimists. Philosophical pessimists[FN#214] maintain that there are on earth many more causes of pain than of pleasure; and that pain exists positively, but pleasure is a mere absence of pain because we are conscious of sickness but not of…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/584/kaiten-nukariya-793_hope_2-the-errors-of-philosophical-pessimists_98837.jpg)
![“4. Man is neither Good-natured nor Bad-natured according to Su Shih (So-shoku).[FN#164] The difficulty may be avoided by a theory given by Su Shih and other scholars influenced by Buddhism, which maintains that man is neither good-natured nor bad-natured. According to this opinion man is not moral…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83c/kaiten-nukariya-793_buddhism_4-man-is-neither-good-natured-nor-bad-na_100937.jpg)
