Sotapanna III

It cannot be overemphasized that ‘confirmed confidence’ in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha plays a key role both in the suttas – which use this template over and over again in the reference to entering the stream – and within the mind itself…

Internally, such confirmed confidence is not just a new belief or fleeting faith that arises in the heart of the practitioner. It is a radical change, a going-beyond-doubt that the external world and the internal universe are not a suitable refuge for one seeking an end to suffering. The faith in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is based on a clear understanding of the benefits of relinquishing desire and ignorance and truly relying on awakened knowing, truth, and virtue. The full implications of this faith may not be totally understood at this entry point, but the heart has seen and knows that this is the way forward and that the stream of Dhamma being entered is true.

This reflection by Ajahn Pasanno is from the book, The Island, p. 307.