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14 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

religions but naively obey any man clinging to the raft which helped religious fanatics who seek refuge
or woman who, being a persuasive him to cross over the vast expanse in violence to resolve problems, for
speaker, may promote and justify of water may continue to carry they are totally ignorant of what
violence and unethical practices in the burden of the very same raft. their religion teaches them. People
the name of religion. By supporting Similarly by clinging to our mind- who are unaware of the message of
such a person with their time, skill body complexity and our religious their religion may live in constant
or wealth, they only increase his or beliefs we continue to carry their fear of criticism of their religion
her greed and hatred and ignorance. burden. He remains bound to his and wish to protect it by destroying
Blinded by religious beliefs they raft and we to the mind-body. He is people who have different beliefs.
may even try over-zealously to on the shore and we are in Samsara. The fear of criticism arises in the
protect their religions not only by This body and mind, together with mind ill-directed by the ambivalent
inculcating hatred and fear in many the feelings, perception and mental belief system which cannot vouch
of their gullible followers’ minds, formations, exist not for clinging for security and actuality. The
but also by advocating even murder but only for gaining knowledge Buddha said: “Your ill-directed
in the name of their beliefs. and insight necessary for attaining mind can do you more harm than all
liberation from Samsara. “Monks,” your enemies in the world together
If a man simply clings to the raft after said the Buddha, “you should let go can do”. Similarly, he said: “A well-
using it to cross over the ocean, in even (good) teaching, how much directed mind can do you more
stead of leaving it on the shore for more false ones”. Good teaching good than all your parents, friends
someone else to use it, he will not benefits us only if we use it, just like and relatives together can do for
do the wise thing either. He rather the raft. No teaching, however good you”. The real conqueror is not the
makes the raft a heavy burden on it is, can help us if we simply cling one who conquers thousands upon
his shoulder. The raft is made out of to it. Clinging even to good teaching thousands of people in a battle field
reeds, sticks, branches and foliage. can cause pain and suffering. Just but one who conquers himself.
They are bound by a rope or bark of imagine how much more painful
a tree. Similarly this body is made up it could be when we cling to bad Although Buddha never even
of form, feeling, perception, mental things! The man who uses a raft to implied causing harm to anybody,
formation and consciousness which cross over the body of water has to there are some even among the
are bound together by ignorance be wise. Similarly one who uses this Buddhists who believe that they
and desire to make body-mind body-mind complexity to cross over should protect their country, killing
complexity. Just as this man clings the ocean of Samsara has to be wise. as many as they think necessary
to the raft made up of reeds, sticks, Therefore he will not cling to this in order to protect Buddhism,
branches and foliage we may cling body-mind complexity at all. If he the religion of peace, harmony,
to the body and mind made up of does he cannot attain enlightenment. compassion and loving-kindness.
form, feeling, perception, mental Killing or even the thought of
formations and consciousness bound Clinging to beliefs without practice killing any living being, let alone
by craving and ignorance. The man can also easily make people human beings, is diametrically