What is the purpose of religion?

There are a myriad of religions and spiritual path all over the globe. I have noticed that most of the Far East religions tend to go on preservation of the culture and society rather than pillage and plunder. Why is that I wondered, and I have come to realisation, that each religion was composed based on the Geographical, Cultural and Mentality of the times. One of the main factors is most of the Far Eastern religions focus more on acceptence, respect, tolerance and adaptation to life's evolution because it is basically imbued within their cultures.

Eg: When Buddhism traveled to Tibet, China and Japan, the deities of the local cultures are accepted and embraced by the community. Buddhism doesn't believe in condemning the local cultural practices of other nations, but serves to adapt, respect and be understanding of them. This is because Buddhism realises that Local practices are very much valued by the people, and if the people is made to serve the religion, failure or conflict is bound to happen... because the religion exists to serve the People... without people to serve... what is the use of Buddhism? Or Christianity? or what ever -isms. What use is there if there is no one to save, or liberate?

Religion is there as a tool for Humanity to find ultimate happiness, and not Humans are there as a Religion's tool to Happiness and material profit.

Chunti Pusa makes a visit but doesnt stay.

Today a very close friend of mine brought over a 24 armed Kuan Yin to show me also today... how auspicous!! She seems to be appearing to me everywhere I go the last two days!!! I see her in the most unexpected places! I so want to invite a statue of her in her multi-armed divine mother form home but looks like I do not have the merits to have such a Divine being in my home.

This form of Kuan Yin is our Divine Mother in her fiercest of forms, the form of Chunti Pusa. This form is supposed to reflect the metaphor of a Mother Lion tending her cubs.

On the peaceful aspect, this is the form she took, just before her supreme compassion was said to manifest. She goes in succession of 2 arms, 4 arms, 6 arms, 8 arms, 12 arms, 16 arms ( or 18 arms ) and 24 arms. Thereafter, out of such an intense wish to help all beings everywhere in all worlds and all times, her aura was said to burst into a a rainbow of 1000 hands and 1000 eyes.

2 - 8 arms represent the essence of practices : 2 = Wisdom and Compassion, 4 = the power of 4 perfect givings/charity. 6 = the perfection of the 6 Paramittas.

The higher number of arms are said to actually depict the treasure map to achieve her path and gain her blessings and attainments. Since we are unable to directly hear her, she reveals her profound path of contemplation through her forms. Also... one of the specialities of the 16/18 arm Chunti Kuan Yin is ... it is said all the 16 arhats ( 18 in chinese mahayana tradition ) will rush to her aid, or any of her true hearted devotees and Kuan Yin's works is always said to take priority over all else for them.

In her 24 arm aspect, she is said to reveal to her children, that after one has purified the 6 aspects of the Mind, 6 Aspects of the Heart and 6 aspects of the Nature (Body speech and mind) , and Perfection of the 6 Paramittas is achieved, then the "next step" is to manifest Ultimate great Bodhicitta... ie. 1000 hands and 1000 eyes.

Whether as the Warrior Matron or Nurturing Mother, this form of Divine Kuan Yin is truly unsurpassed and all pervading in her Love and Compassion, reflected in her protection in 24 aspects of our lives. Protection not meaning totally free of problems, but protection that WHEN we meet with problems she will be the pillar of strength and inspiration, supplying the devotee with a Warrior's Courage and Fervor to transcend ALL that hinders you in Spirituality and in Daily Life.

Her mantra: Om Tsale Tsule Chunti Svaha

What is a Seeker of the Spiritual Path?

Just short food for thought today:

* The true seeker of the Spiritual path, what are they like? This is what i have always thought. I have always believed myself to be a seeker, but upon deeper insight I am feeling I am not even close to what being Spiritual is.....*

A True Spiritual Seeker is One who sees the Beauty in All whom they Meet, be they Ugly or Comely.
They are the ones who are able to Love the Unlovable,
They are the ones who are able to Care for those who lack the ability to Care,
They are those who are able to be Kind in the midst of Hatred.
A True Spiritual Seeker is one who gains Happiness when Happiness arises in the Heart of Others.

The one who seeks spiritual truth is the one with Pure View of Wisdom.

The Kindness of a Wicked One

How kind are the ones who distort, contort and deliberately pervert the teachings of the great sages.... By doing so, they are subjecting themselves to a tidal wave of karmic retribution but there are lessons and benefits that arise from it for us to learn, if we are willing to to learn it. In this way, unknowingly, the distorted ones are being kind to us, to give us a chance to learn as an observer and not a sufferer of retribution. The Religious ones fight to show the true devotees, what a False and Fake devotee looks like so that the real deal don't make the same mistakes as the falsies are making.

- A Hateful Christian is not following Christ, how can they when Christ is about Love?
- A Chaos causing Muslim is not following the Quran, how can they when the Quran is about Peace?
- A Violent Buddhist is not a devotee of Buddha, how can they be when the Buddha is about Non-Violence.
- An Arrogant Hindu is not a practitioner of the Vedas, for how can they when the Vedas stress in Humility in the Service of Godliness.
- A Destructive Pagan is not a follower of Mother Goddess, how can they, when the Mother Goddess is about Preservation and Nurturing.

In the end it doesnt matter what -isms we follow , nor what deities we worship, for if our hearts are full of Pride, Hate, Violence, Envy, Prejudice and Selfishness, we are on the way to a very ugly place after death.

As people we are not whatever -ians or -ims or -ists, we are all just people looking for Happiness where we can for our Family and Friends, to be among loved ones and to Loved and Cared for in times of need and to share our Joys in times of Plenty.

Sincerity and Kindness

One's progress upon the road of spiritual evolution is not about blatantly advertising how many 1000s of people one has selflessly loved , but more on how many people are so touched by our presence that THEY are willing to selflessly LOVE US back.

For a Sincere Heart cannot faked, because the truth of sincerity always comes to fore when one's true face hidden under the veil of sincerity is revealed. For although it may seem that all that Glitters may seem like gold, the heart of the one who receives your "kind sincerity" will know in their inner heart if your kindness is given through a Sincere nature, or if your Sincerity truly comes from a Kind Heart.

So ... Be Sincere...Kindly, and be Kind Sincerely.