Samsaric Sources Of Refuge

[shankara]

I think what makes Buddhism a religion versus a science like Western philosophy are elements like its folk imagery and Vedic conceptual background. Does Buddhism address the significance of it's own conditioning? A concept like the 6 Realms of Samsara is fascinating but (for me) would take time to internalize. It's interesting how the style of practice changed as the teachings were embraced by different regions. Something like Japanese Zen seems more about direct experience than the tribal symbolism of Vajrayana.

As an overall impression the wisdom revealed within Buddhism is sublime. Nearly 1/10 of the world is Buddhist and countless others have been inspired by its precepts. There is an intelligence that is accessible to everyone. Know thyself! What is true must be universal, and for someone who venerates the One God there's no conflict in drawing from Buddhist teaching. Their theology may differ but our ancestral spiritual traditions lead to the exact same way of life, it's beautiful. At a base level the Quran, the stories of Jesus, the Buddhist path or Hindu worship all remind us of spiritual awakening. Awaking to the depth of reality; to devote our lives to something beyond the physical, to remember God with every breath.

That's a very interesting question about Buddhism addressing the significance of it's own conditioning, honestly I'm not sure it does and this is why I am doubting a little my zeal in writing this article. I mean, Nirvana in a sense could be considered a state of being free from conditioning, and it's said that the teaching is like a boat to cross a river, to be used rather than intellectualized. Also there is the notion of skillful means, that the Buddha is teaching something in accordance with what is useful for sentient beings rather than putting out truths which wouldn't be understood and prove useless or even cause problems.

I think that the Six Realms of Samsara is a model, basically, but a very good model! It definitely gives useful insights when applied, which is perhaps the test of a good teaching.

Zen is an interesting thing, I think that there are a couple of concepts in Zen which are very advanced, perhaps even some insights which the Tibetans ignore. On the other hand, Tibet basically became the place where the esoteric Buddhism was preserved, even if nowadays it has been diluted somewhat, or perhaps the Lamas aren't transmitting all that they know to us westerners for various reasons...

"God", on the other hand, is a very interesting thing from the Buddhist perspective. Is Buddhism atheistic, even misotheist? Or is it just a radical denial of any kind of demiurge? The ultimate reality is so far beyond comprehension that perhaps it is most respectful simply not to try to define it. Any "God" swiftly becomes an anthropomorphized tyrant in the diseased imaginations of Kali Yuga humanity.