The Buddha

I really enjoyed this reading from Buddha. He takes things down to such a pure and simple level. “When you realize something is unwholesome and bad for you give it up. And when you realize that something is wholesome and good for you do it.” It would be so nice if everyone could just live that way. I also liked that he said “Do not be lead by holly scriptures” why do we feel we need to complicate the simplest things by adding religious laws and rules? Why do we need someone else to tell us what is wholesome and what is not? Each of us already knows this deep inside ourselves. We are taught to doubt ourselves and that we need to follow someone else’s religion. I have always felt that religion and faith were things that were very personal that cannot be regulated by anyone else but you.
“Be a lamp to yourself. Be your own confidence. Hold on to the truth within yourself, as to the only truth.”

I also liked the part about the man crossing the river. I agree that we should use “truths” to help us through a point and only apply them at that point and then let them go. So many times people try to apply truths to all aspects of life or force their teachings onto other people out of context even when it no longer applies or doesn’t even make sense. “A reasonable man will realize that the raft has been useful to him in crossing the river and arriving safely on the other shore, but that once he has arrived, it is proper to leave the raft behind and walk on with out it.