October 12, 2026

Leave The Raft Behind

Bhikkhus, I shall show you how the Dhamma is similar to a raft, being for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of grasping. When you know the Dhamma to be similar to a raft, you should abandon even the teachings, how much more so things contrary to the teachings.

This teaching comes from the Alagaddupama Sutta, given after the monk Arittha misunderstood the Buddha's words and refused to let go of a view he had grown attached to, even when corrected by his fellow monks. The Buddha responds with the parable of a traveler who builds a raft from grass and branches to cross a dangerous river, then faces a choice: carry the raft on his back forever, or leave it on the shore once it has done its work. He tells the monks that even the Dharma, his own liberating teaching, is meant to be used and then released, not clutched as a permanent possession. This is the heart of Non-Attachment in the Eastern wisdom tradition: engaging fully with tools, roles, relationships, and ideas while recognizing that their value lies in their use, not in being held onto forever. Practiced this way, letting go becomes an act of trust rather than loss, freeing the hands for whatever comes next.

A principle of Eastern Wisdom: Non-Attachment →