A recurring misconception about Buddhist deities is that they’re “eastern” or “Asian” deities. This couldn’t be any further from the truth, Buddhist deities are not ethnic, they are cosmic. There are of course minor exceptions when tribal/ethnic deities in Asia have been converted into an enlightened version of their qualities. But deities such as Manjushri, Avalokitesvara and Vajrapani are qualities of the Buddha which can manifest in the way that is most suitable with the culture and environment they appear in. I also like to think of the Buddhist deities as being the sober and clear mind aspect of their worldly counterparts. Such as Vajrapani being the sober aspect of Indra (Thor, Hercules) or Chakrasamvara being the sober aspect of Shiva/Bhairava (Odin/Yggr, Dionysus etc). The difference between the worldly and the enlightened deity is that the consequences of praising worldly deities will in turn be worldly, an enlightened deity would never demand from you to make sacrifices of human or animal lives. The consequence of venerating the enlightened deity is creating the causes for enlightenment. Buddhism gives you the means of reaching the aspect of the worldly deity that is sober and isn’t intoxicated with Samsara. 👹🙏🏻🔱


Mañjuśrī by https://www.tgoop.com/bramblesburrow

The gnomes have taken refugee in the three jewels.

You have no excuse.

Is Shiva and Indra enlightened beings? Yes, and the same can be said about Odin, Dionysus and Thor. In the case of the Vedic deities, the aspect of them that are being venerated today is worldly and samsaric, at the time of Shakyamuni the Vedas had been reduced to rituals for materialistic ends. These deities have an enlightened aspect to them, this also applies to the European pantheons. But in our case we don't have the means of reaching the aspect of the European pantheon that isn't intoxicated with Samsara. Buddhism allows you to reach the aspect of Thor or Hercules that is sober and enlightened. But I also believe that the Hindus still have the means of achieving realisations such as the non-dual Shaivites, Tantrikas and the Aghori.

“Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi's life. So you might say, that we are encouraged to love.”

Anakin would have been a powerful Bodhisattva, had Obi-Wan and the Jedi orders cringe monasticism allowed for a branch of non-monastic Jedi’s. Renunciation is a path that doesn’t fit everyone, if anything it’s for a minority. The path of Integration and internal alchemical transformation would have created many powerful Jedi's.

👹🙏🏻🔱

Tfw, tfw having brown-skin doesn't make you an authority within all "East Asian" religions 🤯🇮🇳

If the path of the Buddha primarily follows along the stepping-stones of the mind on its way to freedom, the path of Shiva traverses a different route as it moves through the loamy soil of the cellular energies and feeling presence of the body. Buddhism relaxes the body through calming the mind. The path of Shiva illuminates the mind through awakening and liberating the potent energies of the body. And, while this illumination and awakening are equally accessible to meditators exploring deeply body-oriented approaches to Buddhist practice, it is especially true for Shaivite practitioners who use cannabis to support and catalyze their practices. The Buddha’s path is about purification of mind and body. The practices of Shiva are about celebration awakening, honoring, surrendering to, exulting in the feeling current of the life force that passes through the body. They’re about waking up the body’s sensations and dancing on the currents of its liberated energies, like a body surfer riding a wave in the ocean.

🕉🔱💀Shaivites 🤝 Vajrayana 👹🔱☸️

I will recognize the validity of Pagan priesthood if some Schizo comes out of hiding from their cave, share their vision of Zeus and the Mandala of Mount Olympus in addition to flexxing Siddhis upon those he consider to be heretics.