I believe that the agnostic view lies at the heart of the secular approach to Buddhism. Generally, agnosticism is understood in its religious context, as a middle alternative between theism and atheism, asserting that the existence of God is unknowable and therefore not a subject of priority. The origins of agnosticism date back to ancient India, first found in the Rigveda, and pertain to the unanswerable questions of how the universe and the gods were created. Agnosticism was also a popular view in the Buddha’s day.

     Today, agnosticism is understood in its broader scientific or secular context. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman sums up scientific agnosticism best, “I have approximate answers and possible beliefs, and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I’m not absolutely sure about anything.” This scientific and secular usage of the term is based on a perspective that understands the contingent and tentative nature of knowledge, that other than trivial facts, knowledge and information are fragile, ever-changing, and often deeply subjective. According to Socrates, “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us“. The fact is that all human knowledge, be it science, philosophy, psychology, or industry, is in a state of constant evolution striving for greater levels of clarity and understanding. As we mature, our knowledge and wisdom evolves, with current views and information being replaced by ever more complex and precise knowledge. Agnosticism, while fully embracing the crucial endeavor of understanding ourselves, our environment, and reality, also accepts and embraces the mystery and uncertainty of our existence. No matter how much understanding we gain, there will always be aspects of life that will remain unknown.

“The deeper and broader I study, the more agnostic I become; it seems all wisdom converges in agnosticism.” ~ Venerable Tenzin Tharpa

The view of agnosticism possesses a healthy skepticism that emphasizes the important distinction between believing and knowing, while recognizing that our fear of the unknown (that which drives our hunger for absolute answers) is one of the greatest obstacles to finding harmony within our lives. To acknowledge what we don’t know is deeply healing and brings about a natural humility. A humility that is in awe of the infinite possibilities of life and all that lies still waiting to be discovered.

“All believers, by definition, must be agnostics. The moment you declare that you believe in God or the law of karma, you are acknowledging that you do not know whether they exist or not. For if you did know, you would have no need to believe. Only fools, fanatics, and omniscient beings would claim to know such things.” ~ Stephen Batchelor

This is an excerpt from ‘Secular Buddhism’ by Venerable Tenzin Tharpa.