Isn’t all thought free? Who charges for it and where do they put the meter?
The philosophical view of freethought holds that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of science and logic, without being influenced by emotion, authority, tradition, or dogma[1]. This view was, some claim, promoted by the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, who advocated for forming opinions based on science, logic, and reason, and not being influenced by authority or tradition[1][3]. Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who founded Buddhism in the 6th or 5th century BCE[2][4][6].
The Kalama Sutta, also known as the Buddha’s “charter of free inquiry,” encourages individuals to engage in critical thinking and not to rely on blind faith or tradition. The sutta advises the Kalamas to be doubtful and uncertain when there are reasons for doubt, and not to go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, tradition, scripture, or speculation. Instead, it promotes the use of sound logical reasoning and personal judgment to determine the truth and the path to follow. The spirit of the sutta signifies a teaching that is exempt from fanaticism, bigotry, dogmatism, and intolerance, and it encourages free inquiry and the careful examination of beliefs at all stages of the path to enlightenment[10][12][15]. The sutta is not intended as an endorsement for radical skepticism but rather as a guide for individuals to make informed and reasoned decisions[9].
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethought
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Buddha
[3] https://pghfreethought.org/Are-You-a-Freethinker
[4] https://www.pbs.org/edens/thailand/buddhism.htm
[5] https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Freethought
[6] https://www.worldhistory.org/Siddhartha_Gautama/
[7] https://thecitizen.com/2012/03/13/enslaved-free-thought-not-much-thinking-going-it/
[8] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Buddha-founder-of-Buddhism
[9] http://www.freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Freethought
[10] https://bschawaii.org/shindharmanet/critical/
[11] https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html
[12] https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html
[13] https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.soma.html
[14] https://journal.equinoxpub.com/BSR/article/view/8856
[15] https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/kalama1.htm
[16] https://sobhana.net/meditation/english/reading/med003.pdf
[17] https://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/2021/09/k%C4%81l%C4%81ma-sutta-and-the-premise-of-free-thinking.html
[18] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesamutti_Sutta
