Buddha's eternal message

He always said, "this is the eternal religion." He gave simple examples of day to day life to make his point, and then said: this is the eternal religion. By religion he meant the law of existence. The law  which makes the earth rotate, the law that creates seasons, the law that creates the dance of life and death. This eternal law is religion according to Buddha.

 And this profound knowledge is imparted in such a simple manner  that it easily reaches home.

  I find his expression extremely poetic and aesthetic. Moreover he explains great truths by giving everyday examples. 

For instance :
It is not iron that imprisons you nor rope nor wood,
But the pleasure you take in gold and jewels, in sons and wives.
Soft fetters --
Yet they hold you down.
Can you snap them?

Freedom is the fragrance of Buddha's whole message.  He says, there is nothing higher than freedom. Every other value is a by-product of freedom; they follow freedom as a consequence. And awareness is the means to achieve it.

This sutra shows that Indians were as attached to gold and jewels  in Buddha's time as they are now. They took pride in showing off their ornaments and possessions.
These sutras are timeless because they apply to the contemporary human beings as much. The gold rush is high in spite of the economic slow down. But Buddha does not see them as ornaments, he views them as chains.

Whether your chains are made of iron or gold, it makes no difference at all. In fact, if the chains are made of gold it will be more difficult to drop them because you will become attached. You will think those chains are not chains but ornaments. You will protect them, thinking somebody may steal them away from you.

It is also true of the attachment to the family which is much stronger. Buddha calls it, " soft fetters." We call it love!

While commenting on Buddha's sutra Osho points out, " This sutra has been misinterpreted for centuries.  For the first time I am telling you that it does not mean that gold and jewels have to be renounced;  but the pleasure you take in gold and jewels.”