How the teachings work

Buddha’s raft
The Buddha likened his teachings to a raft that takes you from the shore of suffering (samsara) across the river to the shore of enlightenment (nirvana). When you get to the land on the other side, you do not carry the raft around with you - the raft would actually be an impediment on land. The teachings are therefore provisional constructs and concepts and are not true in themselves. Ultimately we must let go of attachment to the teaching and teacher once it has done its work. If we fall in love with the teaching or teacher, this will become an impediment to us.

A thorn to remove a thorn
In this Hindu analogy, a thorn represents a concept that gives rise to suffering when it pierces our skin. The teachings are another concept/thorn that you can use to remove the first thorn from your body. However you must throw the teaching away too when it’s work is done, otherwise it simply becomes a thorn in your side that binds you.

Kill the Buddha
There is a famous Zen teaching: “If you see Buddha on the path, kill him”. Don’t even let Buddhism and Buddha’s teachings get in the way. Let go of all concepts and liberation is there as it always has been.

‘When you realise that which is indicated by the words, then naturally you will abandon the jugglery of words’
Yoga Vasistha

Expedient Means
In Mahayana Buddhism this term (Sanskrit: upaya) is used to explain that the best teaching is the one that produces the result - ie. enlightenment. What is good for one aspirant may not be good for another, depending on where they each are. This is also why various teachings can appear contradictory and may not be true in themselves. The point is that the teachings are not necessarily true, but as long as they work that’s what matters.

Some of my analogies and thoughts on how teachings work
• The teachings are not themselves ultimately true. They are just words. But like a finger pointing to the moon, they point to something greater than themselves.
• Teachings use words and concepts to point to or indicate that which is beyond all words and concepts.
• The teachings are like a virus. Once you have heard them, they get to work within you, chipping away at false beliefs and in doing so the Truth is revealed.
• Like when matter and anti-matter collide, the teachings destroy false notions and then when it’s work is done, it self-destructs.
• We think we chose to read or hear the teachings and apply them. When we understand the teachings more fully, we realised that the teachings came to us, they were a gift to us, that they chose us.
• If you cling to words of the teachings, it is a sure indicator you have not understood what they are pointing to. Eventually you have to go beyond the teachings.
• The teachings are like a recipe - you follow the instructions and get the results. Until the food is made, you treasure the recipe for it is the gateway to your meal. Note that the cooked meal looks nothing like the recipe and you can throw away the recipe once you have mastered the cooking and are eating the meal. However, please don’t worship the recipe and please don’t forget to do what it says.