In the Theravadan Buddhist Sutras, the great Truths taught by the Buddha are badly distorted by the pedantic and multitudinous variations of an idea as expressed by the various Indian scribes of old, and the Buddhist monks who have been conditioned to regard the Sutras as Inviolate continue to promulgate the distortions. It should be recalled that the Buddha's teachings were passed down orally for five hundred years until they were written. The only-to-be-expected distortions and irrelevancies have all but destroyed the original teachings:

The Eastern mind's predilection for lists and numbers is nowhere more evident than in these sacred' texts. The teachings of the Buddha have been analysed and reduced to numeric formulas which obscure rather than elucidate them.

Buddhism, as it is generally taught today, has as its foundation 'The Four Truths' and the 'Eight-fold Path'. In the true spirit of the teachings, the Four Noble Truths are; 1. Suffering exists. 2. Suffering exists because we cling to ignorance. 3. Suffering ceases. 4. Suffering ceases with Self-realisation.

By clinging to false ideas of who and what we are, our name, body, occupation, relationship to others beings, nationality, positions etc., we lose our true identity and feel separate from the Source of all life and consciousness. As our beliefs and feelings create our reality, we disempower ourselves. Suffering ensues.

Self-realisation is God-realisation, that is, conscious Union with the Source. The way to this enlightenment is known as the "Eight-fold Path'. In Truth it is really three-fold, the other five are dissections of these. They are: 1. Right thought. 2. Right speech. 3. Right action. Is that not taught by every major religion? The most important guide-post on the path to enlightenment is HARMLESSNESS. Ahimsa, as practised by Mahatma (Great Soul) Ghandi is an expression of Harmlessness.

It all seems simple; however, we cannot fill a vessel with fresh, clean water without first emptying it of any old, muddy contents it may contain. Have we not all been hardly able to wait to tell a friend of the unkind things someone has said about him/her? Think about it. Did you tale-telling make your friend's day? Did you make your friend feel good? Why did you repeat it? Was your friend in any peril because of the criticism, or were you foolishly excited by the 'drama' of it all? Were you truly being a 'good' friend? Clean you own vessel.

Perhaps you made the error of reproaching the 'attacker'. It is not up to you to correct your brother but to accept him as he is. And that is very easy when you know that in the true nature of his godliness he is faultless. We are in the process of learning perfect love. Perfect love is unconditional. What we usually call love is anything but perfect. "I can only love you if..." Fill in your own conditions. They will lead you into wrong thoughts, words and deeds. They are not harmless. Above all, they harm you, yourself.

When we are critical of the ones we love we justify ourselves. "Oh, I'm just saying these things for your own good." In truth we are saying them so that they will conform to the way WE would like them to be. Is it so difficult to accept them as they are? Do they really do you harm? Is it the way you respond that is harming you? Now think about it. Are you really being harmless; to yourself?