The Buddha's Anti-dogmatism

Re-reading Gil Fronsdal's The Buddha before Buddhism , I'm again struck by simplicity of the earliest teachings: You're always stressing yourselves out. You can stop.

The fact that his later followers took this simple message and turned it into a religion, with all the many forms of stress that this involves, only proves the point.

The words (as they've come down to us) of the man himself couldn't be clearer:

True brahmins are not led by others When considering doctrines believed. They have therefore gone beyond disputes. Indeed, they see none of these doctrines as the best....

In using words, True brahmins don’t make things up, Follow views, Or bind themselves to knowledge. Knowing the many commonplace opinions They are equanimous, thinking, ‘That is what others hold on to.’

Free of worldly ties, sages here Don’t follow any faction in a dispute. Peaceful among those not at peace, Equanimous, thinking, ‘That is what others hold on to,’ They don’t hold on to anything.

Having given up old contaminants without forming new ones, They neither pursue desires nor get entrenched in doctrines. Free from viewpoints, not clinging to the world, Wise ones have no self-reproach.

They are not an enemy to any doctrine Seen, heard, or thought out. Not forming opinions, not shut down, and not desirous, They are sages, wise ones who have laid their burden down.