Śraddhā (Skt.). ‘Faith’, personified as a goddess in Hinduism. She kindles in worshippers the faith to approach Agni (and other gods) without which offerings are in vain.

In Buddhism (Pāli, saddhā), śraddhā is devoted commitment to the Buddha and his dharma: it underlies as a prerequisite the first two stages of the Eightfold Path (aṣṭangika-mārga). In Mahāyāna, it is a fundamental trust, especially in the help of bodhisattvas. From its devotion to Amitābha (Amida), Pure Land is sometimes known as ‘The Way of Faith’.

Śrāddha (Skt.). In Hinduism, a supplementary funeral rite involving daily offering of water and occasional offerings of food (piṇḍa) to the three immediately preceding generations of paternal and maternal ancestors.

The śrāddha rite is a source of merit for those who perform it with faith (śraddhā).