Message from @The Enlightened Shepherd
Discord ID: 311995453837279232
I was researching something lately
And I only come up on stupid self-help websites with words "healing" "karma" and such in their names
completely misinterpreting and (what is the proper word for making something plebeian ?) every doctrine
to be worse, they rely on whatever is taught on tibet or china or elsewhere since that is the "source", even though traditions over there have become folkishly over-elaborate
THEY NEED TO MAKE IT INTO A PRODUCT
EXOTIC + INDIVIDUALISTIC WILL WORK
It' something like what has happened with western thought as well
they take something that is symbolic, but that simply doesn't mean "too much" if you get what I mean, and ascribe it very complex and elaborate symbolism for the symbolism's sake
I think what you are talking about is the modern western interpretation of eastern traditions, which is to say the least very biased and plebianized. I have quite limited knowledge about eastern tradition only read one book that went over them with a big brush but especially buddhism and to a smaller degree its "predecessors" were definetly not egalitarian in any sense of the word, enlightenment(Which meant different things at different times, some mean atma the realization of ones inner self, buddha something else i am not 100 % what exactly atm) was only achieved by those that were capable of freeing themselves from desires as they were seen as the origin of everything bad, so there were different masters (Buddha was just one of them) that showed or develped different methods/variations to achieve that, withdrawl from the physical world, through meditation and yoga etc., a lot of time had to be invested for this kind of stuff and most werent capable of doing that and were bound to be reborn. And only those that were of special predisposition and spent the time to achieve that state of mind achieved nirvana and thereby were freed from eternal ressurection.
@The Enlightened Shepherd Could you give a symbol as an example?
For example I was reading about Mahakala
Which is in most traditions a Dharmapala, a protector deity
But also symbolizes dissolution, the immutability of the passage of time, etc
Now he is depicted as a fierceful, wrathful, deity, all in black, adorned with skulls, weapons, ashes and fire
has three eyes (symbolizing that he is a boddhisatva)
and protruded fangs
and now these gurus and students go on and on and give every single detail of his traditional representation a meaning
"sword represents this"
"fangs represent this"
ok i get what you are talking about now
when it's obvious that all of these things are merely artistic expressions of his entire image, of a wrathful deity
trying to interpret every single detail
and most striking is the agonizing recoiling back of all of these hippies from any possibility that there exists a detached, wrathful deity
so they say "he is standing on demons" or "enemies of dharma"
when it's obvious that he is standing on two quite unremarkable humans
with nothing on them symbolizing their status of enemies or demons
it's obvious that his entire symbolism is that of an oppressor
and that these two figures are indeed just ordinary humans who got in his way, or who stood in the way of an immutable force, or challenged it even
to these types, it's completely unimaginable that mere human existences are not of great significance to these transcendent forces
the relevance to the doctrine is obvious: a wise man knows all forces, and utilizes them for his enlightenment
fools get struck by them and perish
hence why even such a wrathful deity is also a boddhisatva
today at my job, normal fucking retards sat around discussing their preferences in how to do cocaine and do drinking games
so I came home and optimized my diet and fitness routine
It seems like it should be obvious that to get ahead (barring big inheritances, jewish nepotism, etc) you have to do things in a way that other people aren't.
Like not spending all your money on alcohol and car payments, for example
I would do it even if it put me behind
There are plenty of reasons to do it, synergistically. And different measurements of "ahead."
it honestly does put me behind as I cannot bond with my peers at all
I can only network by shamelessly misrepresenting my opinions of others right ot their face
That's what I do.