Revelation

You showed me love in ways that no one can relate. Praying with you in front of your alter to the surprise you gave me when I was a kid. You never rejected me or disown me for me or my decisions, only to guide me to the right path. Your smile is the one thing I remember most. I love you so much grandpa for being the parent I lacked. RIP, you taught all of us well. May you move on in peace knowing that you’ve completed your work here.

samsaranmusing:

Here is where language fails us.  It all depends on how you define religion.  Religion in the East is very different from religion in the West.  If you define a religion as community of like thinkers who congregate to worship a deity, have a sacred text and a priesthood then Buddhism either qualifies or not depending on your perspective. 

Buddhism is a large, complex and varied tradition.  You will find that often where there was an inspired teacher later generations of lesser men will create dogma and complicate teachings which were originally simple.  In Buddhism and in Taoism there were such men.  So, you can find within each tradition dogma, a hierarchical and disparate priesthood and many of the same trappings as found in Western religion.  Thus, there are branches of Buddhism which revere Gautama Siddhartha as a God or an avatar of a God and speak of demons and spirits.

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