Buddhism · macro

Theravada Buddhism

Suffering, its cause, its ending, and a path — worked out without a creator and without a self that survives. The unconditioned is real but is not a god, which is why A1 sits mid-scale rather than at either pole.

What makes it unusual

The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.

C2 Shape of timecyclical returnFurther toward "cyclical return" than most traditions in the matrix.
A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or orderFurther toward "impersonal principle or order" than most traditions in the matrix.
E2 Origin of the cosmosbeginningless or naturalFurther toward "beginningless or natural" than most traditions in the matrix.
C1 Survival of the selfleaning ends at deathFurther toward "ends at death" than most traditions in the matrix.

All seventeen positions

Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.

The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.

position
tolerated variation

A · The divine

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists	leaning nothing beyond the naturalPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.35	0.18
A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address	impersonal principle or orderPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.08	0.08
A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits	leaning strictly onePali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.35	0.15
A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it	between wholly beyond the world and fully present within itPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.62	0.15

B · Knowledge and authority

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience	leaning reason and direct experiencePali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.68	0.13
B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all	leaning literal and bindingPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.30	0.14
B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides	leaning clergy and tradition decidePali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.30	0.14

C · Self and destiny

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form	leaning ends at deathPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.25	0.15
C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return	cyclical returnPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.95	0.04
C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound	leaning ignorant but fundamentally soundPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.82	0.10

D · Practice

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight	achieved by effort or insightPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.95	0.05
D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent	between essential and prescribed and optional or absentPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.55	0.16
D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated	to be disciplinedPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.15	0.10

E · World and others

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths	leaning one true pathPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.35	0.16
E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural	beginningless or naturalPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.92	0.06
E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice	leaning an individual choicePali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.70	0.14
E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred	between creation, given for use and animate and itself sacredPali Canon (Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas)	0.45	0.15

Compared with

Where do you sit?

The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.