The Concepts of Faith and Belief in the Works of Bhaktivinoda Thakur

The article discusses how the concepts of faith and belief, which were proposed by the Russian philosopher, religious scholar and cultural critic D. V. Pivovarov, are reflected in the writings of the Bengali philosopher and thinker Bhaktivinoda Thakura, an outstanding representative of Hinduism. The author defines the terms “faith” and “belief”, as well as the terms “shastriyashraddha” and “laukika-shraddha”. An overview of the main meanings associated with these concepts is also provided. This overview is accompanied by a comparative analysis of the terms and related philosophical ideas. The similarity of “faith” and shastriya-shraddha is emphasized: both concepts are considered as a necessary condition for starting a truly human knowledge of reality. The thesis that “faith” and shastriya-shraddha are imbued with the spirit of freedom is substantiated. The idea is revealed that “faith” and shastriya-shraddha contribute to the acquisition of objective knowledge by a person, while “belief” and laukika-shraddha express only the subjective part of the truth. It is concluded that these pairs of terms are similar in meaning: they initiate similar modes of knowledge and attitudes to reality.