namaskaram prabhu ji
Namaste Ratikala ji
I don't think this contrast applies very well to the term śraddhā for in saṁskṛtam it would include faith, belief, conviction, deep respect, situatedness, deep contemplation, unflinching devotion, motivation, and more all put together!
jai jai , ....this was exactly my purpose , .... we are here on an open forum with many different kinds of devotees ,
l chose these words deliberatly as they are words frequently used especialy by those whos first language is english , ...these words also are the cause of mild dissagreement between sects , ...one is beliving this, ..one is beliving that , . so arguments ensue , ....we call hinduism a faith , ...but in truth it is more than this , for ease of comunication we are using english words which inevitably have abrahamic conotations , so we need to explore how we could better express ourselves with more exact terminology , .....
sraddha , ....yes , ...it is all these things , ....it is also trust and deep appreciation , thus yes, from this grows motivation , situatedness and unflinching devotion , ...but let me ask a question , as a child born into a particular tradition , can you remember pionts when that sraddha begun to blossom and points when respect turned to devotion , and that devotion then turned to unflinching devotion and unshakable faith ?
isnt it true that many times in our maturing we feel that we know and have exprienced sraddha only to find later that it deepens still further , ..and at this point does it not occur that prehaps we know nothing at all , ....that we are just beginning to understand what faith realy is , ...
That which changes cannot be śraddhā. The more appropriate term would be abhiprāya (opinion). For eg., see BG 17:3 śraddhā follows one's innate constitution, thus puruṣa (jīva) is but śraddhā and unerringly effectuates the progress of the jīva. So, its my conviction that as long one has changing views about anything, it cannot be really called śraddhā.
agreed , ...to me sraddha is something which develops , it deepens , ...
l am not thinking to explore opinions , what we need is to become free from opinion and to become open to our true nature , ....
in asking this question l am asking what we base beleifs upon , some beleifs are wishfull in that the person is wanting to find a meaning , wanting to find an explanation wanting to find order , thus they are drawn to explore Hinduism , ..in the same respect l feel there is an inate desire to know truth and to become one with the divine order order of the universe , of creation , ...
so to know sraddha some sacrifice of this opinion is required , ....it is what in the west call a leep of faith , what a vaisnava may call saranagatti , ..surrender , ....
Well, for me its my Guru's direction to share my experience and understanding truthfully (svabhāvasthaṃ) and without contrivance / prejudice (nirāvéśaṃ). Though i don't see it as 'defending', but more likely clarifying / sharing my views on those things where i have experience & understanding i'm myself sure about in the first place.
jai jai , ...it is very similar to our guus wish alltough the approach is very different , ....ours being a bhakti school we are less inclined to study in the same way , ...but similarly yes we should share without contrivance but with understanding that each is inclined towards a particular tradition due to his nature , ...
W.r.t what comes first, i think this is clarified in the veda mantra (also in the upaniṣat)
yadéva 1) vidyayā karoti 2) śraddhayā 3) upaniṣadā tadéva vīryavattaraṃ bhavati. As my Guru says, "one needs to study every school as a student of that school, study advaita as a staunch advaitin, tattvavāda as a staunch tattvavādin, etc., then contemplate assiduously (tapaḥ) until the nectar of tattva (truth) emerges, for no one has, nor can, attain the nectar of truth without the internal samudra manthana; and even then, unless you've engaged in a sāttvika way (like the devatas), it is highly unlikely that you may get to partake in the emerging nectar. What you have then is the essential śraddhā, until then all you have is opinions without any experience anubhava rahita abhiprāya."
श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ।
it is my wish too that all should be able to pass beyond the stage of needing to hold and form opinions , and to reach the stage of true appteciation , .....
but could it be simpler ? ..... where to your mind does surrender fit in to this equasion ?