Buddhism Can Only Be Destroyed From Within

This is something that has been stated many times. It seems to have two opposing meanings but really, on analysis, it’s clear that there is only one. The first (naive) meaning is to suggest that Buddhism could be destroyed by cherry picking and watering down the teachings to make them more appealing, or by corrupting their meaning.

However, the Buddha’s words are truth itself if they are realised through experience, and truth can never be destroyed. So what is the second meaning of “Buddhism Can Only Be Destroyed From Within”?

The essence of Buddhism is emptiness. It’s not ‘Buddhism’. Our feeling and thoughts about ‘Buddhism’ are not the reality of Buddhism. If you see Buddhism upon the road, kill it!

Buddhism is beyond “-isms” and reference points, and therefore, the idea of Buddhism has to be destroyed from within, through realisation.

(The lamas who told me that Buddhism can only be destroyed from within made me feel that I was The Destroyer … perhaps they were right 😀 😀 😀 !)