Killing of the Buddha - Essay Example

Killing of the BuddhaThe above Koan is attributed to Linji Yixuana first century Zen Master. The Koan should not be taken since killing goes against Buddhist teachings. Instead, the koan advocates for self-interrogation with an aim of bringing in clarity aspects that promotes the development of one’s self. In the Koan “finding the Buddha” symbolizes a walk on the path of enlightenment. The process can be interpreted to include our path or the direction that an individual takes in his life.

The “Buddha” that we are supposed to represent an idealized personal perfection that we have about ourselves. The Buddha represents us as well as our projection to the outside world. The Buddha consists of our conception of absolute enlightenment (McGee, 2015). The “Killing of the Buddha” means that human beings are often wrong in the conception of themselves. The Koan dictates that it is practical and achievable for an individual to separate himself from the misconception of himself through meditation.

If a person believes that he has spiritual enlightenment, then the person must get rid of the perception and meditate. Through meditation, the enlightenment has no permanence, and everything keeps on changing. The Koan teaches us that if we consider ourselves as having all solutions then such a perception must be avoided, and we must question such solutions to get better solutions. By following the Koan and always meditating, then one creates a learning process and keeps on enlightening. Such a process reinforces the journey to being complete.

Ultimately, one learns that he or she is a disguised Buddha (McGee, 2015).ReferenceMcGee, G. (2015). If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him. Fractal Enlightment. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://fractalenlightenment.com/26323/spirituality/if-you-meet-the-buddha-on-the-road-kill-him | FractalEnlightenment.com