Faith ("the F word," as the author calls it) is a problematic concept. It has various meanings, including as a way of referring to the kind of religious "faith" that people appeal to as something that gives them all the answers they need--which is the reason so many people reject the notion of faith entirely. But Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel feels that faith is not only a useful concept, but a necessary aspect of the spiritual path, not to be avoided by Buddhists or anyone else. "Faith is a response to the basic human conundrum," she says, "our desire for an experience of ease in a world that can't be secured." It's a leap, as is sometimes said, but not a leap into easy certainty. That's why it's so beautiful. She uses the traditional Buddhist teachings known as the "Middle Way" (Madhyamaka) to show how learning to live between the extremes of faith and doubt is the way to honesty, compassion, and liberation.
