Editing Nontheistic religion (section)

===Metaphysical questions===
On one occasion, when presented with a problem of [[metaphysics]] by the monk Malunkyaputta, the Buddha responded with the [[Parable of the Poisoned Arrow]]. When a man is shot with an arrow thickly smeared with poison, his family summons a doctor to have the poison removed, and the doctor gives an antidote:<ref name="hanh">{{cite book
|last=Nhat Hanh
|first=Thich
|author-link=Nhat Hanh
|title=Old Path White Clouds: walking in the footsteps of the Buddha
|year=1991
|page=[https://archive.org/details/oldpathwhiteclou00nhat/page/299 299]
|isbn=0-938077-26-0
|publisher=Parallax Press
|url=https://archive.org/details/oldpathwhiteclou00nhat/page/299
}}</ref>

{{quote|But the man refuses to let the doctor do anything before certain questions can be answered.  The wounded man demands to know who shot the arrow, what his caste and job is, and why he shot him.  He wants to know what kind of bow the man used and how he acquired the ingredients used in preparing the poison.  Malunkyaputta, such a man will die before getting the answers to his questions.  It is no different for one who follows the Way.  I teach only those things necessary to [[Bodhi|realize the Way]].  Things which are not helpful or necessary, I do not teach.}}