Guidelines of Building the Faith in the Triple gem via Photography

Abstract

             In this research, there are three objectives: (1) to study the creation of faith through channels of sensation, (2) to study the processes of photography and the photographers’ techniques of taking pictures of art, and (3) to study the guidelines of building the faith in the Triple Gem via photography.

          The results of the research were found that the faith is the belief in the Triple Gem or three main principles that Buddhists always recognize such as (1) the Buddha Gem, (2) the Dhamma Gem, and (3) the Sangha Gem.  The happening faith needs the channels of sensation.  The channels of sensation are the sense relationship between the eye and the picture, the ear and the sound, the nose and the smell, the tongue and the taste, the body and the touch, and the mind and the mind-object. These channels are the human sensations that affect the emotions and the mind.  The channels of sensation that affect the photography and have the relationship of seeing the pictures are the visible objects (pictures), the visual organs (eyes), and the mind channel (mind).  The faith and the channels of sensation are related with the enlightenment and the sensation via the eyes which are treated as the noble visibility (dassanānuttariyaṃ) and also related with the enlightenment and the sensation via the mind in the processes of building the faith such as Rūpappamāṇikā (one whose faith depends on good appearance), Lūkhappamāṇikā (one whose faith depends on shabbiness), and Dhammappamāṇikā (one whose faith depends on right teachings and practices). With good photography to build the faith, the photographer must have basic faith, know the methods of searching the point of view, catch up the good emotions and feelings of the pictures along with the arts of picture composition such as Theory and Elements of light and colors, Rule of Thirds, Visual equilibrium, Leading line etc. in order to take photos of the Buddha arts, the Dhamma scenes, and the Sangha pictures which are the Triple Gem as the pictures of faithfulness for all Buddhists.