Abstract
In a celebrated discourse, a seeker of spiritual truth, Malunkyaputta, demands that the Buddha resolve his doubts concerning contested metaphysical matters before accepting the Buddha's teaching, which is intended to secure deliverance from suffering. He wants to know, for instance, whether the universe exists perpetually or not, whether the body and the living soul are identical or not, and whether the enlightened sage survives after death or not. In response, the Buddha presents a parable in which he asks Malunkyaputta to consider the condition of a man who has been wounded by an arrow and now requires the services of a surgeon in order to save his life. In these circumstances, does the man wish to do all that is possible so that the surgeon may succeed at his task, or does he first wish to resolve his doubts regarding the reasons for his wound? Who shot the arrow? and why? Was the act deliberate or accidental? Was the archer old or young? So many questions to ask! Should the man wait until he has all the answers he wants, or should he just let the surgeon get on with his work?
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