Thank you, Mate.

I knew this article would piss some people off, which is fine because, as Dzongsar Khyentse says, debate is a critical part of Buddhism.

I suspect you know a thing or two, so let me speak candidly.

The teaching of Dharma is nothing except the mirror opposite of an individual's delusion. Its quality depends entirely on the shape of the deception.

This is what is referred to as Nirmanakaya. It is a spontaneous manifestation of whatever brings one back to authenticity.

In the right circumstances, fundamentalist Christianity or working in an abattoir could be forms of Dharma if the delusion of a being corresponds to that.

I'm not saying that's going to be common, just that Dharma is dependant on the delusion, not on what someone says Buddhism is or isn't.

This is why a teacher is essential. They give you exactly what you need based on your situation, and that could honestly be anything.

The teachings of the Buddha were intended for a specific audience at a particular time, but to think that they are a one-size-fits-all solution is incorrect.

Ultimately everything is nirmanakaya if you wanna go that far. If you see the tramp pissing himself on the street as Guru Rinpoche and you offer with that in mind, to me, that is more authentic than giving yer money to a monk or monastery who are already flush with gold.

This article is concerned only with the first noble truth, which is intended to turn the mind towards dharma practice.

The third and fourth noble truths are concerned with liberation and the path to liberation.

They do not say anything about happiness.

This article is not meant to be cynical.

It is intended to comfort those who have been seeking material happiness their whole lives but who have never found it and are constantly told by society that it is because there is something wrong with them.

Happiness is the fulfilment of the self that we all seek through external activity.

You may have found some material happiness, but the truth is that it will not last. That is the nature of samsara represented in the story by the chilli. We keep wandering around trying to find happiness and loathing ourselves more as we don't find it.

The message of this article is not dark. It's light. It says there's nothing wrong with you. You are just facing the wrong way.

So sorry if you felt any darkness from this. I like to write authentically and genuinely don't give a shit if people think I'm cool.

I'm hoping this read can inspire people to understand that renunciation is not about giving up mars bars and sex but about swapping out the search for happiness with the quest for liberation. ⭐️