This chart, taken from the my forthcoming book (CLICK for more details), represents my understanding of how one progresses on the path to Buddhahood and the belief that all sentient beings are on such a path, even if that is not yet their conscious goal. This is a very simplified definition and does not reflect many of the details or nuances within the various categories. I offered more about what it means to be a holy being in an earlier article (CLICK). This first chart shows the difference in goals among the world religions and the two main branches of Buddhism. The second chart, provided in another article (CLICK), provides basic information about what the other religions and the four categories of Buddhist practice include—the level of attainment involved in each and the time required to become accomplished. The third chart, also included in another article (CLICK), lists some of the vows and actual practices done in each of these categories. Please remember that the charts represent generalizations about the various systems of belief and are not absolutely true for any given practitioner within that system.
This article was originally posted on August 15, 2020.
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