Just before The Buddha passed on to Maha PariNibbana, his disciples asked Him who should they learn from after He's gone.
Who is to be their guide?
The Buddha's reply?
"The Dhamma. Let The Dhamma be your guide.
Depend on NO one.
Let oneself be one's own refuge."
So, is The Buddha dead, or alive still?
By convention, if you focus on the physical, hold on to physical forms,
Then The Buddha is dead and long gone.
In reality, in Truth, if you understand the essence of The Buddha's teachings,
You'll know that He (The Buddha) is still very much alive and kicking today.
"He who sees The Dhamma, sees me, The Tathagata."
- The Buddha
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"Only by following The Buddha's instruction and mode of practice, will a mind be able to see BOTH The Dhamma and The Buddha."
- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa
"Only those who really practise The Dhamma are the ones who truly pay homage to me."
- The Buddha
"Oneself is one's own refuge;
What other refuge can there be?
With oneself fully controlled,
One obtains a refuge which is hard to gain."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 160
"The Bhikkhu who dwells in The Dhamma,
Who delights in The Dhamma,
Who meditates on The Dhamma,
Who well remember The Dhamma,
Does not fall away from The Sublime Dhamma."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 364
"When you truly know yourself, truly know The Dhamma,
Whether The Buddha is alive or not is no longer important."
"For someone who has arrived at Dhamma, someone who really understands Dhamma, wherever he goes, everything will be Dhamma."
- Ajahn Chah
