Talk 20 , Live, I Believe in Mirror Balls, 25 June'26

Talk 20 , Live, I Believe in Mirror Balls, 25 June'26 *I Believe in Mirror Balls | Doubt, Faith & Direct Experience | Buddhist Dhamma Talk by Bhante Rakkhita* Is doubt the enemy of faith? In this talk, Bhante Rakkhita explores one of the most misunderstood aspects of Buddhist practice: the relationship between doubt and confidence. Rather than encouraging blind belief, the Buddha repeatedly invited investigation, personal verification and direct experience. Through Buddhist stories, Greek mythology, Sufi humour, personal experiences from Thailand, Egypt and the Philippines, together with practical meditation advice, this talk examines how healthy questioning strengthens wisdom while excessive doubt can keep us trapped in hesitation. The accompanying guided meditation invites participants to experience these principles directly through mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati), gentle vipassanā reflection and careful observation of the mind. May this talk encourage you to investigate wisely, practise consistently, and discover confidence born from your own experience. --- CHAPTERS *00:00 Welcome & Introduction* 🟢 DHAMMA TALK 03:08 Beginning of Dhamma Talk 03:21 The Sufi Monk Who Refused to Teach 04:24 What Are You Really Doubting? 04:59 The Monastery Car & Rear-View Mirror 05:48 Doubt as a Testing Ground 06:26 The Empty Amulet & Self-Belief 07:29 Calming the Mind Before Believing 08:45 A Few Terrible Jokes 09:28 The Apprentice Walking on Water 10:25 What Gives You Confidence? 11:05 Chiang Mai Ordination Story 12:17 Doubt Investigates, Faith Walks 13:01 Orpheus and Looking Back 14:18 Test the Teaching for Yourself 15:20 Guarantees or Avoidance? 16:08 The Apannaka Sutta – Two Merchants 17:56 Healthy Doubt vs Crippling Doubt 19:29 Direct Experience Over Blind Faith 20:29 Naming Different Types of Doubt 21:07 Returning to the Foundations 22:25 Trust in God... Tie Your Camel 23:00 Egypt, Mirrors & Looking Down to See Up 24:08 Trusting Calm More Than Fear 24:48 The Mangoes Joke 25:39 The Two Qualities of Faith 26:10 The Elephant in the Dark 27:02 Practical Tactics for Working with Doubt 28:57 The Tricycle Driver Story 29:34 Learning to Ride at Dusk 30:32 More Bad Jokes 30:57 Fog on the Mountain Path 32:05 Doubt and Faith as Partners 33:01 Seeds Beneath the Soil 34:13 Closing Blessing 🔵 END OF DHAMMA TALK 34:42 Canonical References & Credits 🟢 GUIDED MEDITATION 35:44 Introduction to Meditation 37:45 Guided Meditation Begins 43:39 Meeting Doubt with Awareness 45:14 Confidence Through Direct Experience 47:54 Remembering Genuine Confidence 50:27 Impermanence Through Observation 51:33 Walking Through the Fog 52:46 Resting as Awareness 53:53 Trusting the Present Moment 54:16 Gratitude Practice 55:57 Meditation Closing Blessing 🟣 Q&A SESSION 56:46 Questions & Discussion (continues) #Buddhism #Meditation #Mindfulness #Vipassana #Anapanasati #Theravada #Dhamma #Faith #Doubt #BhanteRakkhita