To truly benefit from the Buddha’s teachings, we must actively practice them rather than just admire them from afar. In the Theravada tradition, Buddhism is not limited to simply learning scripts or chanting suttas; it is the direct application of these teachings in our daily lives that brings transformative results. The Buddha captured this beautifully in the phrase, “Sunātha, dhāretha, carātha dhamme,” which translates to, “Listen to, bear in mind, and behave in accordance with the Dhamma.” He frequently reminded his monks that practicing even a single verse of the Dhamma is far superior to memorizing vast amounts of text without applying it. In Dhammapada Verse 19, the Buddha gave a striking example: a person who recites many sacred texts but does not act accordingly is like a cowherd who simply counts the cows of others—he never actually tastes the milk. True realization belongs to the one who puts the teachings into practice.

When you first embark on this path, it is completely natural to experience doubt (vicikicchā). The Buddha never condemned honest questioning; in fact, the Dhamma is an invitation to “come and see for yourself” (ehipassiko). When doubts arise, you should be mindful of them and inquire deeply, using your own good conscience, wisdom, and the guidance of the Sangha or wise Dhamma friends. However, inquiry alone is not enough. Like learning to swim, you cannot understand the water until you get in. You must put in the effort to practice meditation, generosity, and ethical living to see the results. If you question the importance of this sustained effort, look no further than the Buddha’s final words before his passing: “Vayadhammā saṅkhārā, appamādena sampādetha”—”All conditioned things are subject to decay; achieve your liberation through diligence.”

Through this diligent practice, the mind becomes deeply organized, concentrated, and clear. As a practitioner walks the hard path, they steadily approach the first major milestone of awakening: becoming a “Stream-Enterer” (Sotāpanna). When a person attains this stage, three major mental fetters—or defects of the mind—permanently fall away. One of these eradicated fetters is doubt itself. For a Stream-Enterer, the path is remarkably clear. They have seen the truth of the Dhamma through direct experience, and because of this, they no longer harbor any lingering uncertainties about the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, or the final goal of Nibbana.

This presents us with a powerful truth: doubt cannot be entirely destroyed by thinking about it; it must be dismantled through direct experience. If we do not start the practice—if we avoid the hard path because we are waiting for total certainty—how can we ever expect to get rid of our doubt? The answer is to take that first step, to sit on the cushion, to observe the breath, and to live ethically. By moving forward diligently, step by step, the fog of doubt will naturally lift, replaced by the clear light of wisdom.