I know the comment you replied to was in jest, but he did actually say quite the contrary (at least according to Theravada, one major Buddhist tradition): He in several places said the point of all his teachings was to help people put an end to suffering; he only taught the particular things he taught because according to him, they were the best/only way of reaching that goal.
Some schools even go so far as to say that the Buddhist path is something to let go of as well at the very end of the process in order to truly reach enlightenment. It's only a tool to get there.
>Some schools even go so far as to say that the Buddhist path is something to let go of as well at the very end of the process in order to truly reach enlightenment. It's only a tool to get there.
Interesting view (we share the same). To understand it more simply think as a big ocean. Enlightenment being an island. This is where the 4 stages are named after (stream entrer, non returner etc). Once you reached the island the boat is no longer useful (and the boat being 2500 years old as a tradition is a pretty quality one)
Some schools even go so far as to say that the Buddhist path is something to let go of as well at the very end of the process in order to truly reach enlightenment. It's only a tool to get there.