Liberation from the Six Realms & other Religions

[plwk]

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The Elder Master Jìng Kōng on a question about obtaining a pure & sincere heart and liberation from the Six Realms by followers of other religions.
And your thoughts?

[Astus]

It is the teaching of the Buddha from the beginning. Either one follows the correct path, i.e. the Buddhadharma, or there is no escape. Anyway, most of the other religions aim for heavenly birth, not nirvana.

[plwk]

I concur Astus but hasn't it been since the Lord's time too that most who followed, save for the ordained, were hardly interested in nirvana and mainly in a better samsaric 'halfway house' like the deva realms so much so that even these days, many talk of the Buddha Dharma like it's just another mere 'feel good, do good' or another ticket to heaven thingy? If that were so, of what use is the Path & Fruit for such other than some loose 'affinity' with the Buddha Dharma externally whilst still harboring the 'external paths' internally? By the way, I recall the late Ven Master Yìn Shùn who presents the path of humans and gods as the 'two good paths' of the Dharma common to the Five Vehicles though he admits that refuge in the Three Treasures are more secure than the 'external paths'...

This convo reminds me of ground reality amongst lay householders back then (and perhaps even today...) and much gratitude to the srotapanna Anandapindika for the 'higher teachings'...
When this was said, Anathapindika the householder wept and shed tears. Ven. Ananda said to him, "Are you sinking, householder? Are you foundering?"
"No, Venerable Sir. I'm not sinking, nor am I foundering. It's just that for a long time I have attended to the Teacher, and to the monks who inspire my heart, but never before have I heard a talk on the Dhamma like this."

"This sort of talk on the Dhamma, householder, is not given to lay people clad in white. This sort of talk on the Dhamma is given to those gone forth."

"In that case, Ven. Sariputta, please let this sort of talk on the Dhamma be given to lay people clad in white.
There are clansmen with little dust in their eyes who are wasting away through not hearing [this] Dhamma. There will be those who will understand it."

[Astus]

It might be so that many Buddhists (ordained or not) have little interest in their own liberation - thus the common view that it is a far away goal beyond one's abilities - but that shouldn't concern those who aspire for the best of the best. At the same time, even those on the path of freedom can be on various stages, but that is already being within the community of noble practitioners.

Here is a definition of a "proper disciple" of the Buddha (MN 35):

"Now, Master Gotama, to what extent is a disciple of Master Gotama one who carries out his message, carries out his instruction, one who has crossed over & beyond doubt, one with no more questioning, one who has gained fearlessness and dwells independent of others with regard to the Teacher's message?"

"There is the case, Aggivessana, where a disciple of mine sees with right discernment any form whatsoever — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form as it has come to be — as 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'
"He sees with right discernment any feeling... any perception... any fabrications... any consciousness whatsoever — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness as it has come to be — as 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'
"It's to this extent, Aggivessana, that a disciple of mine is one who carries out my message, carries out my instruction, one who has crossed over & beyond doubt, one with no more questioning, one who has gained fearlessness and dwells independent of others with regard to the Teacher's message."