Simile of the Raft

This is a post from Venerable Dharmakara at Buddha Forum (www.buddhaforum.org) For your reading pleasure.

I rarely sermonize in such fashion, so consider this a DK Classic, not to be confused with the BK Classic that one can purchase at their neighborhood Burger King restaurant.

Needless to say, many practitioners approach the "Simile of the Raft" in a way that's different from my own, where they understand it as meaning that it's okay to cling to what they've declared to be "good" teachings, that it's perfectly acceptable to do so with the same amount of dogmatic zeal that a god-fearing Roman Catholic might show to his or her own doctrine.

Is this appropriate, how sound is such an approach, and is it even the Buddha's intent in giving the discourse in the first place?

First, we'll examine the "Simile of the Raft" in its entirety from the Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22), translated from Pali by the Ven. Nyanaponika Thera, then I'll offer my own brief commentary using a modern simile which will hopefully hit the point of this simile home:

"I shall show you, monks, the Teaching's similitude to a raft: as having the purpose of crossing over, not the purpose of being clung to. Listen, monks, and heed well what I shall say" — "Yes, Lord," replied the monks. and the Blessed One spoke thus:

"Suppose, monks, there is a man journeying on a road and he sees a vast expanse of water of which this shore is perilous and fearful, while the other shore is safe and free from danger. But there is no boat for crossing nor is there a bridge for going over from this side to the other. So the man thinks: 'This is a vast expanse of water; and this shore is perilous and fearful, but the other shore is safe and free from danger. There is, however, no boat here for crossing, nor a bridge for going over from this side to the other. Suppose I gather reeds, sticks, branches and foliage, and bind them into a raft.' Now that man collects reeds, sticks, branches and foliage, and binds them into a raft. Carried by that raft, laboring with hands and feet, he safely crosses over to the other shore. Having crossed and arrived at the other shore, he thinks: 'This raft, indeed, has been very helpful to me. Carried by it, laboring with hands and feet, I got safely across to the other shore. Should I not lift this raft on my head or put it on my shoulders, and go where I like?'

"What do you think about it, O monks? Will this man by acting thus, do what should be done with a raft?" — "No, Lord" — "How then, monks, would he be doing what ought to be done with a raft? Here, monks, having got across and arrived at the other shore, the man thinks: 'This raft, indeed, has been very helpful to me. Carried by it, and laboring with hands and feet, I got safely across to the other shore. Should I not pull it up now to the dry land or let it float in the water, and then go as I please?' By acting thus, monks, would that man do what should be done with a raft.

"In the same way, monks, have I shown to you the Teaching's similitude to a raft: as having the purpose of crossing over, not the purpose of being clung to.

"You, O monks, who understand the Teaching's similitude to a raft, you should let go even (good) teachings, how much more false ones!

As I stated at the beginning of this thread, many practitioners approach the "Simile of the Raft" in a way that is different from my own, where they understand it as meaning that it's okay to cling to what we've define as "good" teachings, that it would be foolish to dispense with any aspect of dogmatic Buddhism until one reaches the other shore, but this leaves a burning question, namely:

Would it be any more foolish than clinging to the teachings with a death grip, where in essence we have not only transformed the raft, but one's practice becomes the equivalent of booking one's passage to the other shore on the SS Titanic?

This is what clinging does, this is its the end result, whether we're talking about good teachings or false ones, where we're all on the lower deck dancing the night away while the band plays on, oblivious to the iceberg that looms before us.

News Alert: The SS Titanic did not reach its destination.

So my friends, after reading this and reflecting upon it in accord with the Kalama Sutta, where are you standing at this time? Are you on the lower deck of the Titanic, dancing the night away while the band plays on?