Looking at the sun during eclipse

It is our age-old belief that looking at the Sun during the eclipse is harmful to eyes.  The modern science too approves of this.  If you look at the Sun directly, the Sunrays that fall on the eye can burn the retina.  This is true whether it is during the eclipse or normal occasion.  The sunrays are that hot.  But during the normal occasions, as you attempt to look at the Sun, the eyelids get closed on their own unable to bear the brightness of the light.  This to an extent prevents retina from getting burnt.

However, during the eclipse, the moon hides a major portion of the Sun.  Hence the intensity of the Sunrays gets reduced.  Now one can keep one'e eyes wide open.  But if the eyes are exposed to Sun, the Sunrays enter the eyes and burn them.  It is found that the Sun rays, both during the eclipse and normal occasions are equally of high temperature and hence harmful. 

Therefore, it is advisable not to look at the Sun during eclipse though it appears possible to do so.