Which Religion/Tradition Is The Closest To The Absolute?

[MrTelepath]

I’ve been doing research on the many different Religions and Systems across all sorts of Cultures. I feel as though Eastern Traditions depict a far more accurate picture on the nature of GOD but then I read an article regarding the Aztecs through a video Leo uploaded on Aztec Philosophy and their Nondualistic Teachings rival that of those you find in Eastern Philosophy. Not to mention they were heavy on Entheogenic usage such as Psilocybin and Peyote in their rituals to the gods in the Aztec mythos.

Hinduism has also incorporated Entheogens. There are reports that they used Cannabis (associated with the god Shiva) and a mysterious substance called “Soma” which scholars debate as to what Soma was. Hinduistic Teachings are also Nondualistic in nature. Overall, I think Eastern Traditions are a lot more peaceful so to speak and closer to the Absolute than many other traditions with a few exceptions.

Can anyone tell me what Religious System they think is the most accurate representation of Absolute Truth and Enlightenment/Awakening?

[Yimpa]

Which system is willing to collapse?

[Water by the River]

Tibetan Buddhism in the forms of Dzogchen and Mahamudra. When looking beyond the cultural/buddhist surface covering.

On 25.10.2022 at 9:25 PM, Water by the River said:

Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, The Supreme Source:

"I am the teacher, pure and total consciousness, whence everything manifests. Pure and total consciousness is the supreme source, it has created the Buddhas of the three times, from it have arisen the beings of the three worlds and the whole animate and inanimate universe. [... ]

Pure and total consciousness has created everything and has not created anything. It has created everything because it has created its own nature, pure and total. It has not created anything because within it there exists no need to create. When my nature is not understood and the phenomena that manifest from me become the object of judgement, desire and attachment give rise to the creation of concrete vision that is impermanent and destined to vanish like a magical apparition, and one becomes like a blind man who does not know what is happening. [...I"

"As I transcend all affirmations and negations, I am beyond all phenomena. As no object exists that is not myself, I am beyond meditating on a view. As there is nothing to keep apart from myself, I am beyond a commitment to observe. As there is nothing to seek other than myself, I am beyond obtaining the capacity for spiritual action. As no place exists outside myself, I am beyond a level of realization to surpass. As I have never encountered obstacles, I am beyond [everything] as self-arising wisdom. As I am the ultimate unborn nature, I am beyond [everything] as the [true] subtle ultimate nature"

"I am called "the perfect condition" becauseeverything is contained in me. I am called "the source" because the teacher, teaching, and disciples arise from my three natures"

"I am the essence of all phenomena; nothing exists that is not my essence. The teachers of the three dimensions are my essence. The Buddhas of the three times are my essence. The Bodhisattvas are my essence. The four types of yogins are my essence. The three worlds, of desire, of form, and without form, too, are my manifestation. The five great elements are my essence. The six classes of beings are my essence. Everything inanimate is my essence. Everything that lives is my essence. All the habitats and the beings living therein are my essence. Nothing exists that is not my essence because I am the universal root: there is nothing that is not contained in me. The unborn, the wonder of birth, and the manifestation of energy are the three aspects of the three teachers: this is their condition."

"As the three times, past, present, and future, abide exclusively in me, all the Buddhas are in the same condition: this too is my essence. As I transcend the dualism of subject and object, like space I am allpervading, and I constitute the fundamental substance of all phenomena: my essence is pure and total consciousness. I, that am the source, abide in the single state, and in this same authentic condition the practitioners of the "four yogas"

"Realize my nature, the supreme source that is pure and total consciousness. Teach that all the phenomena of existence are only myself! If you transmit my teaching, all your disciples will realize my nature and will become this very nature.

"If my nature were to be compassionately displayed to the beings of the three worlds who have originated from me,....  Thus I, the supreme source, disclose my nature, displaying it to myself."

"Nothing other than this exists; none of the Buddhas have ever received a higher teaching than this from me, the source. Aside from this condition of equality beyond concepts, I myself, the supreme source whence everything arises, have absolutely nothing whatever to display to myself."

"Listen! As all of you are created by me, you beings of the three worlds are my children, equal to me, the supreme source. You are me, inseparable from me, so I manifest to you and through the five teachers of my natures I teach the single state of the five essences [of the elements]. I am the single state, I, the supreme source: you too are, you must become certain of this!"

"Listen, Sattvavajra! I will show you your own nature. You are me, the source. I am and have always been pure and total consciousness. What is pure and total consciousness?"

"Among all things existing in the animate and inanimate universe, there is not one single thing that has not been created by me, nor is there a cause that does not derive from me. Thus I am the essence of all, and nothing surpasses me. I am superior to the three dimensions, to the Buddhas of the three times, to the Vidyadharas, to the Bodhisattvas, to the beings of the three worlds, to the whole animate and inanimate universe, because I am the maker of all. Before there was any other teaching I, that am the source, pure and total consciousness, disclosed the teaching of pure and total consciousness."

Background for the Tantric part: Secret Drugs of Buddhism: Psychedelic Sacraments and the Origins of the Vajrayana, Crowley.

[Guest Bazooka Jesus]

It's like asking which flavor of icecream comes closest to tasting like all flavours in existence.

Spiritual/religious teachings are like signposts that try to point you in the direction towards EVERYTHING; and which pointer resonates with and has the most usefulness to you depends entirely on you.

There just isn't any one-size-fits-all solution... as much as most spiritual and religious systems would like to convince you that they are the one and only real deal under the sun.

[Someone here]

Islam. 

[James123]

@MrTelepath Sufism for me. 

[Hojo]

hindu

[Guest Bazooka Jesus]

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

 

 

Edited March 11 by Bazooka Jesus

[Nemra]

Imo, the ones that are not or are less constructed by humans, if those even exist, and that know the difference between the relative and the absolute, and they don't use each of them, especially the "absolute", to justify their crude biases or their willful ignorance. I think the important thing that guarantees its closeness to the absolute or truth is what is done to go beyond themselves (things that humans will never be able to control) and not to reiterate themselves by reading some scriptures, regardless of whether they are true or false, and viewing their interpretation of reality as an absolute or truth. And I don't know if those qualify as being religions. Maybe super- or meta-religion, or just spirituality with less groupthink or brainwashing.

Edited March 11 by Understander

[UnbornTao]

None.

Every one of them is a failure to personally grasping the absolute.

The spirit of Zen is probably the "purest" or clearest one. But it is pretty rare. Plenty of crap passes as Zen nowadays.

To conclude: none.

Edited March 11 by UnbornTao

[James123]

3 minutes ago, UnbornTao said:

None, although the spirit of Zen is the purest one.

Any word is a personal idea, including mine. 

[Inliytened1]

@MrTelepath Buddhism.  I concur with @Water by the River.

Edited March 11 by Inliytened1

[emil1234]

11 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

@MrTelepath Buddhism.  I concur with @Water by the River.

well certain schools of buddhism reject the idea of "an absolute", or the idea of Brahman. I may be misinterpreting things, but the buddhist concept of "anatman" or no Self seem to contradict a lot of what other spiritual traditions talk about. The idea of transcending the "brahman" or the universal Self.

[ExplorerMystic]

Which talks directly not taking you in to meaningless gibberish words . Its like "Take it or leave it" .  So not just one but there are many who have spoken about it .

 

 

[puporing]

Christianity.

[Breakingthewall]

12 hours ago, Water by the River said:

Listen! As all of you are created by me, you beings of the three worlds are my children, equal to me, the supreme source. You are me, inseparable from me,

That means that reality is real. There is not a dream, just the reality in its infinite manifestations. all that appears is the alive infinite . The idea of dream, imaginary , implies that there is something real and something unreal, when everything is infinite

[UnbornTao]

The Church of Shitology.