In this maxim, the Buddhist teacher Han Shan contrasts the caution people show around a dangerous creature like a tiger with the heedlessness of those who lust after possessions. He puts it simply and clearly, and it is very easy to accept the thought; of course we are not foolish –we don’t lust after possessions. Or do we?

An extreme version of lusting after possessions might be the nervous consumer scrolling endlessly through one shopping channel after another, and receiving shipments of merchandise from courier drivers two or three times a week. But we need not display such an obvious picture of obsession; if we see no further than the limited horizon of the material world, that of physical form and sense experiences, then that is where we will look for our comfort, happiness and fulfilment. By taking shelter in our habits and customs and objects, without recognising it, we are putting our trust in our house-pet, overlooking the regrettable fact that it is a tiger.

Buddhist teaching describes different realms, such as humans, animals, demi-gods and so on. One of the realms is that of the ‘hungry ghosts’, restless beings with intense hunger that they are unable to satisfy, portrayed with distended bellies and necks as narrow as needles so that the bellies can never be filled. In Buddhist thought, these give a picture of the cravings of addiction, not only dependence upon substances but also upon the material world in general. The hunger is genuine, but we could say that the ghost is looking for the wrong food – material instead of spiritual sustenance. The unseen, nourishing spirit is all around, but the narrow neck implies that we cannot be fed unless we open our throats and accept that which is available.

In the long journey from limitation to perfection, repeated an infinite number of times, yet with each iteration, like a snowflake, individual and unique, there is a common pattern: we suffer and are unaware of the extent of our suffering; we begin to recognize the suffering but do not see what is causing it; we start to see the origin of the pain and try to fight against it; we discover that we ourselves are preventing the resolution of the painful situation and by that recognition, become able to let go and leave the pain behind.

Spiritual seekers are looking for relief in the form of Love – or Truth – or the Divine Self, but although they are perpetually swimming through what they long for, they are unable to let it in, because they are expecting it only in the forms they have trusted through their life. They want to be fed by their pet, but a tiger does not change its stripes; it will feed upon us and not the other way round.

To satisfy our hunger we must let go of our expectations and surrender. When we discover that we are the only obstacle, we can begin to unclench our throat and receive the blessing that the Only Being wants to give. In Gayan Suras, we find :Verily, blessing is for every soul; for every soul, whatever be his faith or belief, belongs to God.