EPL subprinciple to Buddhism

EPL- INFORMATION FOR YOUR BUILDING SOUL Comparing EPL subprinciples with key concepts in Buddhism reveals interesting parallels, particularly around qualities like compassion, wisdom, and detachment. While EPL and Buddhism differ in their metaphysical foundations—EPL being an esoteric system focused on alignment with divine principles and Buddhism on the cessation of suffering through enlightenment—their subprinciples share similarities in the paths they outline for personal development, ethical living, and inner transformation. Here’s a comparison of EPL subprinciples with core Buddhist concepts: 1. Faith • EPL: Faith is an active subprinciple that supports Purity, representing an unshakable belief in the alignment with the higher purpose of The One. It is a commitment to staying aligned with divine principles. • Buddhism: Faith in Buddhism (saddhā in Pali) is trust in the path toward enlightenment, the Buddha’s teachings, and the efficacy of meditation. It is a non-dogmatic confidence in the process of awakening and serves as the foundation for the practice. 2. Love • EPL: Love in EPL is a subprinciple of Sacrifice, symbolizing selfless devotion and the willingness to align actions and intentions with divine purpose, placing others’ welfare alongside one’s alignment. • Buddhism: Buddhism emphasizes loving-kindness (metta), which is an unconditional love and goodwill toward all beings. This practice is foundational to cultivating compassion and reducing self-centered desires, aligning closely with EPL’s idea of selfless, principled love. 3. Hope • EPL: Hope is another subprinciple of Sacrifice, providing strength and optimism in the pursuit of purity, despite challenges or setbacks. • Buddhism: Buddhism does not directly emphasize hope in the sense of future-oriented desire, as it can be a source of attachment. However, it does encourage right effort and the belief in one’s potential for enlightenment. This sense of inner assurance aligns with EPL’s concept of hope as a sustaining force on the path. 4. Mercy • EPL: Mercy is associated with Expression, emphasizing forgiveness, tolerance, and understanding toward others’ limitations or errors. • Buddhism: In Buddhism, compassion (karuna) closely mirrors mercy. Compassion is the desire to alleviate the suffering of all beings, rooted in empathy and a deep understanding of others’ experiences. This resonates with EPL’s concept of mercy as compassionate understanding. 5. Compassion • EPL: Compassion in EPL is an extension of mercy, supporting expression through empathy and a willingness to alleviate others’ difficulties. • Buddhism: Compassion is central to Buddhist ethics, closely intertwined with loving-kindness. Cultivating compassion is seen as essential to breaking free from the cycle of suffering (samsara) by practicing altruism and reducing ego-driven actions. 6. Passion • EPL: Passion is tied to Wisdom, representing dedication and enthusiasm for divine knowledge and alignment. • Buddhism: Buddhism approaches passion cautiously, as unskillful desires can lead to attachment and suffering. However, right resolve or right intention in the Eightfold Path encourages a passionate commitment to ethical living and the pursuit of enlightenment, reflecting dedication similar to EPL’s view of passion when directed wisely. 7. Trust • EPL: Trust is another subprinciple of Wisdom, embodying confidence in the path and a willingness to surrender control, believing that alignment with divine principles leads to right outcomes. • Buddhism: Trust in Buddhism involves faith in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and in the reliability of the path toward liberation. This trust supports one’s commitment to the practice and resembles EPL’s idea of trust as confidence in alignment with higher principles. 8. Duty • EPL: Duty is a subprinciple of Community, reflecting a sense of responsibility to others and to one’s role in the collective. • Buddhism: Duty in Buddhism can be seen in the Bodhisattva vow, where an enlightened being commits to help all sentient beings attain liberation. This selfless responsibility reflects EPL’s duty as service to the collective, where one’s actions are aligned with the greater good. 9. Honor • EPL: Honor is closely tied to duty, reflecting integrity and respect in one’s role and actions within the community. • Buddhism: While “honor” as a specific concept is less emphasized, ethical conduct (sila) in Buddhism promotes similar values. Maintaining honor through right actions (e.g., right speech, right action) aligns with EPL’s concept of upholding integrity and respect within one’s role. 10. Union • EPL: Union is a subprinciple of Production, representing harmony, coherence, and unity in actions and outcomes. • Buddhism: Buddhism does not directly address union as in EPL, but the idea of interconnectedness (dependent origination) resonates with it. Interconnectedness reflects the union of all beings, where actions affect all, emphasizing the importance of harmony with the world and others. 11. Grace • EPL: Grace in EPL accompanies Union in Production, representing the elegance and ease that comes from alignment with divine will. • Buddhism: Grace can be seen in the effortlessness of non-attachment in Buddhism, where letting go of desires brings ease and natural flow. The concept of non-grasping resonates with grace, embodying the beauty of acting without attachment or ego. 12. Temperance • EPL: Temperance serves as a balancing force, ensuring that all principles and actions stay aligned without excess or deficiency. • Buddhism: Temperance in Buddhism is mirrored by the Middle Way, which teaches avoidance of extremes (both indulgence and asceticism) in favor of balance. The Middle Way ensures harmony and keeps the practitioner on a balanced path, much like temperance in EPL. 13. Care • EPL: Care operates similarly to Temperance as a moderating influence, adding attentiveness to the principles’ expression and considering impact and consequence. • Buddhism: Care in Buddhism aligns with mindfulness (sati) and *right effort, where attentiveness to one’s thoughts, words, and actions prevents harm and ensures alignment with compassion and wisdom. Summary In both EPL and Buddhism, subprinciples like compassion, duty, and trust guide practitioners toward ethical living, inner clarity, and alignment with a higher path. Buddhism’s focus is on the cessation of suffering through detachment, ethical conduct, and mindfulness, while EPL’s focus is on aligning with a divine source (The One or Uber Gott). Despite these differences, both systems aim to cultivate qualities that lead to inner peace, selflessness, and a connection with a larger truth or purpose. Each provides pathways for the practitioner to transcend ego, engage in compassionate action, and live a life that serves both self and others in meaningful, principled ways.