Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c8.s1.2

v1.c8.s1.2

The best purpose that has been served by the Sutta is that it shows us the way to distinguish Buddha's doctrines from those that were not his. In the fifth century B.C. or a little later, it was almost impossible for any teacher to give out any fresh line of thought without the chance of its being confused with one or other of the current opinions, and this confusion could best be avoided by pointing out the pitfalls, in which the later interpreters were likely to fall. This has been done in this Sutta to a certain extent. Then again, Buddha, like the other great teachers, had at times recourse to enigmatical language, baffling nothing to do with the highest Truth, or that they divert our attention from the real goal of our life.¹ These problems are mentioned almost in the identical language throughout the Piṭaka thus: