Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World

by Stephen Batchelor

“Suppose, bhikkhus,” said the Buddha, “a man wandering through a forest would see an ancient path travelled upon by people in the past. He would follow it and would come to an ancient city that had been inhabited by people in the past, with parks, groves, ponds and ramparts, a delightful place. Then the man would inform the king or a royal minister: ‘Sir, know that while wandering through the forest I saw an ancient path. I followed it and saw an ancient city. Renovate that city, Sir!’ Then the king or royal minister would renovate the city, and some time later that city would become successful and prosperous, well populated, attained to growth and expansioṇ”14 In explaining this story, the Buddha says that the “ancient path” refers to the “eightfold path” and the “ancient city” refers to the Four and conditioned arising. He compares himself to the man who went wandering in the forest and discovered these things, then returned to the world and, with the help of kings and ministers, established the dharma and sangha, which now flourish throughout the land.15