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Here is a parable which explains the basic ground of all religion. It is from the Lotus Sutra, a Mahayana sutra of unknown authorship, ostensibly a teaching of the Nirmanakaya Siddartha Gautama (A Nirmanakaya is one who has realized contact with his buddha-self beyond a certain degree.):

Text below quoted from Lectures on the Sutra, the Hoben and Juryo Chapters, Revised Edition, Nichiren Shoshu International Center, 1-33-11 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151, Copyright © 1978, 1984 by Nichiren Shoshu International Center. All rights reserved. ISBN4-88872-017-7 C1015

“Imagine a wise and skilled physician who can compound medicines to cure any disease. He has many sons, perhaps ten, twenty, or even a hundred. He goes off to a distant land to see to some matter.

“Later, the children drink some kind of poison that makes them wild with pain, and they fall writhing to the ground. At this time the father comes back to his home and finds that his children have drunk poison. Some are out of their minds, while others are not. Seeing their father from afar, all are filled with joy and kneel down to entreat him, saying, ‘How wonderful that you have returned safely! We were stupid and by mistake drank some poison. We beg you to cure us and let us live longer.’

“The father, seeing his children suffering like this, follows various prescriptions. Gathering fine medicinal herbs that are perfect in color, fragrance and flavor, he grinds, sifts and mixes them together. Giving a dose of these to his children, he tells them, ‘This highly beneficial medicine is perfect in color, fragrance and flavor. Take it, and you will be quickly relieved of your sufferings and will be free of all distress.’

“Those children who have not lost their senses can see that the beneficial medicine is good in both color and fragrance, so they take it immediately and are completely cured of their sickness. Those who are out of their minds are equally delighted to see their father return and beg him to cure their sickness, but when they are given the medicine, they refuse to take it.

“This is because the poison has penetrated deeply, causing them to lose their true minds. Therefore they think that the medicine will not taste good in spite of its fine color and fragrance. Then the father thinks, ‘My poor children! The poison has attacked them and completely deranged their minds. Although they are happy to see me and ask me to cure them, they refuse to take this fine medicine I offer them. Now I must use some means to get them to take it.’”

These means are called “religions”. Although in reality there is only one religion, it is placed into various forms to appeal to various kinds of nut. The purest form of the medicine is a sin-free state, and the process of repudiation and cessation is a super-highway which enables one to enter that state.

There are other ways -- a commitment to the eightfold path (right understanding, right motives, right speech, right behavior, right mindfulness, right effort, right livelihood, and right contemplation) will bring one to the state. A good way to utilize the path is to apply punishment to inconsistencies with each of the principles. The punishments should not be extreme -- ordinary parent/child type discipline will suffice. In this way, it can be realized that this eightfold path is a unique jewel and a master key to enlightenment. To the unenlightened it appears to be merely a collection of nice platitudes. To view the original form in which the eightfold path was given, click here.